A later study that integrated multiomics data to fine‐map associations with both AUD and drinks per week identified genes and individual SNPs that affect risk. 14 A meta‐analysis of AUD GWAS summary statistics identified 10 independent loci containing 31 lead SNPs (1157 SNPs in total) in or near 79 genes. Many of the loci were shared with a GWAS of drinks per week. 15 The variants were enriched in promoter regions of genes expressed in the brain, particularly in early development. Integrating this with expression and metabolomics quantitative trait loci (eQTL and mQTL, respectively) data from brain identified 18 loci with 21 genes. Summary based Mendelian randomization nominated a single candidate causal gene at 16 of these loci. Many of the genes (e.g., SPI1, MAPT) have also been implicated in neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Interestingly, at one locus, two independent SNPs (i.e., not in LD) were identified, one was associated with AUD and the other with drinks per week. These findings are consistent with GWAS data that show only partial overlap in the genetics of these two phenotypes. 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 16 Key pathways included immune signaling, lipid metabolism, and alcohol metabolism. 14
