Taken together, these findings provide evidence for a genetic contribution in the heritability of alcohol use and AUDs for men and women. More recent studies with increased sample size and female participants suggest that the degree to which genes predict disordered drinking is more similar than originally thought (Prescott, 2002). What remains uncertain, however, is the manner in which genetic risk operates for each gender and to what extent other biological, psychosocial, and cultural factors differentially impact boys and girls’ genetic alcoholism risk. Thus, future studies should not only examine various risk and protective together, but also investigate how these interact and influence drinking patterns over time.
