Alcohol consumption in men is influenced by qualitatively different genetic factors in adolescence and adulthood.
paper
Cited
Public
- Authors
- Edwards, A C; Kendler, K S
- Year
- 2013
- Journal
- Psychological medicine
- PMID
- 23282961
- DOI
- 10.1017/S0033291712002917
- PMCID
- PMC3670965
BACKGROUND: Alcohol consumption is influenced by genetic factors. Previous studies have examined the heritability of alcohol consumption, or related phenotypes, from adolescence into adulthood, frequently finding that total heritability changes over time. However, it remains unclear whether the same genes underlie liability to alcohol consumption across development versus whether novel risk genes become important over time. Method A population-based study of adult male twins (n=1790) born in Virginia, USA, retrospectively reported on their average monthly alcohol consumption from early adolescence through adulthood. We used twin modeling methods to explore genetic and environmental influences on alcohol consumption over time. RESULTS: One latent genetic factor accounted for the majority of the heritability in alcohol consumption during mid- to late adolescence, but its influence declined thereafter; from young adulthood forward, heritability was largely attributable to a second genetic factor. The total heritability of alcohol consumption increased from 0 at ages 12-14 years to 0.40 by ages 18-21 years. Shared environmental factors declined in influence over time. CONCLUSIONS: The heritability of alcohol consumption over time is dynamic both quantitatively and qualitatively. These results have important implications for gene identification endeavors. Furthermore, these findings could inform efforts to elucidate developmentally dynamic behaviors, such as antisocial behavior.
Final twin model with standardized path estimates (95% confidence intervals). Genetic (A) and shared environmental (C) influences are presented separately (a) from unique environmental (E) influences (b) for readability.
Heritability (h2) accounted for by additive genetic factors A1 and A2 over time.
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| Name | Type |
|---|---|
| A1 local | phenotype |
| abstainers | phenotype |
| Abstention local | phenotype |
| adolescent alcohol use | phenotype |
| adolescent-limited genetic factor local | phenotype |
| Adolescent-limited genetic factor (A2) local | phenotype |
| adolescents | cohort |
| adulthood | cohort |
| adult-onset genetic factor local | phenotype |
| Adult-onset genetic factor (A1) local | phenotype |
| adult twin sample local | cohort |
| alcohol | phenotype |
| Alcohol Problems | phenotype |
| alcohol-related phenotypes | phenotype |
| alcohol-specific familial liability local | phenotype |
| Alcohol Use | phenotype |
| alcohol use disorders | phenotype |
| alcohol use in adolescence local | phenotype |
| Alcohol-use phenotypes local | phenotype |
| Americans 18-24 local | cohort |
| antisocial personality disorder | phenotype |
| average monthly alcohol consumption local | phenotype |
| behavioral phenotypes | phenotype |
| CAGE score local | phenotype |
| cancer | phenotype |
| current sample | cohort |
| depression | phenotype |
| Dutch twins | cohort |
| early adulthood | cohort |
| Early Alcohol Consumption local | phenotype |
| early alcohol use | phenotype |
| Early drinking behaviors local | phenotype |
| epoch 1 local | cohort |
| Epoch 1 local | cohort |
| epoch 2 local | cohort |
| Epoch 2 local | cohort |
| epoch 3 local | cohort |
| Epoch 3 local | cohort |
| epoch 4 local | cohort |
| Epoch 4 local | cohort |
| epoch 5 local | cohort |
| Epoch 5 local | cohort |
| epoch 6 local | cohort |
| Epoch 6 local | cohort |
| ethnic groups | cohort |
| executive functioning | phenotype |
| externalizing behavior | phenotype |
| externalizing disorders | phenotype |
| familial liability to externalizing local | phenotype |
| fighting | phenotype |
| frequency of alcohol use | phenotype |
| general externalizing behaviors local | phenotype |
| genetic risk for externalizing | phenotype |
| genetic variants | cohort |
| Heritability of alcohol consumption local | phenotype |
| Homicides local | phenotype |
| hypertension | phenotype |
| intoxication frequency | phenotype |
| late adolescent sample local | cohort |
| Late adolescents/young adults local | cohort |
| Late adulthood local | cohort |
| liver disease | phenotype |
| Mature adults local | cohort |
| mature adult sample local | cohort |
| men | cohort |
| mid-adolescence | cohort |
| Mid-adulthood alcohol consumption local | phenotype |
| Motor vehicle accidents | phenotype |
| phenotype | phenotype |
| Polygenic risk score for alcohol dependence | phenotype |
| prospectively assessed twin sample local | cohort |
| quantity of use | phenotype |
| Sexual activities local | phenotype |
| straightforwardness | phenotype |
| Sustained high alcohol consumption local | phenotype |
| Symptoms of alcohol-use disorder local | phenotype |
| Twin cohort | cohort |
| US 10th graders local | cohort |
| US 12th graders local | cohort |
| US 8th graders local | cohort |
| van Beek et al. 2012 local | cohort |
| Virginia Adult Twin Study of Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders local | cohort |
| wave 2 | cohort |
| White men | cohort |
| wide age range sample local | cohort |
| women | cohort |
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