Evidence that the relative contributions of genetic and environmental influences to alcohol use shift over time may help to guide future studies of remission. Twin studies suggest that, during adolescence, environmental influences on alcohol initiation and use predominate (Han et al. 1999; Rose et al. 2001b), but that genetic influences increase with age (Viken et al. 1999; Rose et al. 2001a). A recent study in a longitudinal twin sample found that genetic and unique environmental influences on alcohol abuse and dependence symptoms increased from age 15–17 to age 30–32, while shared environmental influences decreased (van Beek et al. 2012). Perhaps remission follows a similar pattern, wherein early remission is influenced primarily by the environment, but in longer, sustained remission, genetic influences gain importance. This possibility has not yet been explored.
