Evidence of genetic independence between the two traits was most striking in the differences between the genetic correlation analyses. After correction, genetic correlations for 188 traits differed significantly (some in opposite directions) between AUDIT-C and AUD. Notably, these included a negative association of AUDIT-C with anthropometric traits, including BMI; coronary artery disease; and glycemic traits, including Type 2 diabetes. The negative genetic correlation with coronary artery disease is consistent with some epidemiological findings that alcohol consumption protects against some forms of cardiovascular disease34. AUDIT-C was positively genetically correlated with overall health rating, HDL cholesterol concentration, and years of education, findings that are consistent with prior literature showing genetic correlation of these traits with alcohol consumption7,8,21. AUD was significantly genetically correlated with 111 traits or diseases, including negative genetic correlations with intelligence, years of education and quitting smoking, and positive genetic correlations with insomnia, ever having smoked and most psychiatric disorders, findings that are consistent with phenotypic associations in the epidemiological literature35–37 and genetic correlations reported from the UKBB and 23andMe GWASs and their meta-analysis7,8,21. The opposite genetic correlations seen for
