For decades, twin studies have recognized that both genetic and environmental factors influence individual risk for alcoholism (Heath et al., 1997; Kendler et al., 1994; Pickens et al., 1991; Prescott and Kendler, 1999). Recently, large-scale genetic studies have provided strong evidence for the contribution of specific genetic variants to alcohol use disorders in adults (Rietschel and Treutlein, 2013; Wang et al., 2012). An important next step in the translation of genetic findings identified in adults is to test whether these genetic variants also affect adolescent drinking behaviors and whether environmental risk factors moderate this role.
