The risks for heavy drinking, alcohol problems and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) reflect both genetic and environmental contributors that are likely to change with age and stages of development (Dick et al., 2014; Kendler et al., 2003). The heritable components of these alcohol-related conditions relate to multiple genes, almost all of which have small effects, with each gene likely to interact with multiple environmental events (Agrawal et al., 2009, 2010; Reilly et al., in press; Schuckit, 2014).
