The use of the current DSM-IV classification for alcohol use disorders has proven impractical in the pursuit of identifying predisposing genetic and environmental risk factors for the complex phenotype of dependence on alcohol. This can be attributed to the fact that many researchers have used DSM-IV criteria to arrive at binary classifications based on a range of symptoms and, thus, do not capture the heterogeneity of the disorder. The ability to study well the multiple factors that contribute to the development of “alcoholism” will depend on the creation of more homogeneous subgroups by use of endophenotypes. This can be achieved through the development of new classification schemes based on genetic/biological, physiological, and behavioral endophenotypes. Future research in the area of alcohol use disorders will continue to improve phenotypic definitions and ultimately contribute to the disentanglement and elucidation of the etiology of the various components that contribute to the multifaceted and complex syndromes currently encompassed by the DSM-IV, the International Classification of Mental and Behavioral Disorders (ICD-10), and the lay public perceptions of alcohol use disorders.
