What does this mean for genetic studies of alcohol dependence? It is well established that genetic factors play a substantial role in the etiology of substance use disorders, regardless of the type of diagnostic classification used. Therefore, it is widely accepted that the proposed DSM-5 definitions of substance use disorder will also be heritable. However, the addition of this new item raises the question: are there novel genetic influences on craving? Even though phenotypic correlations between craving and other dependence criteria are high, this does not rule out the possibility that at least some genetic pathways that contribute to craving may be distinct from those influencing other aspects of substance dependence.
