While many databases collect quantity/frequency information for alcohol consumption, information regarding AUD per se — the more severe trait — is sparser. For more severe traits, the Million Veteran Program (MVP) sample has been particularly useful (Box 2). There have been three major GWAS of alcohol-related traits based on the MVP. The first examined maximum habitual alcohol use (MaxAlc)16, and included 126,936 EUR and 17,029 AA subjects. Consistent with previous reports, ADH1B was the lead locus for both populations. Also as in previous reports, different lead single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were seen in the two populations: rs1229984 for EUR; and rs2066702 for AAs. Three other genome-wide significant (GWS) MaxAlc loci were identified in EUR, including corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRHR1); the protein product of this gene is involved in stress and immune responses17.
