One explanation for similar EROs in individuals with AUD and their offspring may be genetic risk for altered neurocognitive function. Recent studies have conducted genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) on cognitive functions like fluid intelligence (Watanabe et al. 2019) and behavioral measures during cognitive tasks (Davies et al. 2016). Polygenic scores (PGS) for cognition, derived from GWAS on general intelligence and education, have been shown to predict mental health disorders like schizophrenia, (Richards et al. 2020) and cognitive decline (Ding et al. 2019). Gene x environment studies show genetic variants moderate associations between trauma and neuropsychiatric traits like AUD and PTSD (Koenen et al. 2009), but no study has examined how trauma moderates the relationship between cognitive function PGS and neural response inhibition. Since trauma‐related deficits in neural response inhibition have been shown to increase risk for AUD and PTSD, considering genetic vulnerability to complex cognitive functions via polygenic scores will bridge this gap in knowledge and inform future research on risk and resilience pathways.
