Cited by 321Substance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesGenetic Associations and EpidemiologyAlcohol Consumption and Health Effects

Adolescent alcohol use is a risk factor for adult alcohol and drug dependence: evidence from a twin design

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GRANT, JULIA D., SCHERRER, JEFFREY F., LYNSKEY, MICHAEL T., LYONS, MICHAEL J., EISEN, SETH A., TSUANG, MING T., TRUE, WILLIAM R., BUCHOLZ, KATHLEEN K.·2006·Psychological Medicine

Abstract

Background. Early alcohol use is associated with abuse and dependence of licit and illicit substances later in life. The role of genetic and environmental factors in this association is not conclusive. Method. In 1992, data on substance use, abuse/dependence and psychiatric disorders were collected from 8169 male twin members of the Vietnam Era Twin Registry. The interview obtained age of onset of regular drinking (one drink/month for 6 or more months). Regression analyses of twin pairs discordant for early alcohol use tested whether the association between early drinking (before age 17) and adult substance use and abuse/dependence remained after controlling for genetic factors, family environment and covariates. Twin models tested for common genetic and/or environmental influences on early drinking and adult alcohol dependence and ever use and abuse/dependence on marijuana and other drugs. Results. Co-twin analyses suggested the association between early regular alcohol use and adult alcohol dependence, marijuana and other drug use, and marijuana and other drug abuse/dependence could not be entirely explained by common genetic and shared family environmental factors. Genetic contributions to early regular drinking were significantly correlated with those on use of marijuana (rA=0·59), use of other drugs (rA=0·64), alcohol dependence (rA=0·54) and abuse/dependence of marijuana and other drugs (rA=0·63 and 0·66). Small but significant unique environmental correlations (rE range 0·11–0·22) indicated that familial factors could not entirely explain the association between early alcohol use and later substance use, abuse and dependence. Conclusions. Early regular drinking is associated with later alcohol dependence and use, abuse/dependence on drugs. The association is not entirely explained by genetic or shared family environmental factors. This suggests unique environmental factors contribute to transitions from early regular alcohol drinking to use, abuse and dependence on alcohol and other substances.

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  1. Rutter, M., Simonoff, E. & Silberg, J. (1993). How informative are twin studies of child psychopathology? In Twins as a Tool of Behavioral Genetics (ed. T. J. Bouchard and P. Propping). John Wiley & Sons : New York.

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Authors
GRANT, J. D., SCHERRER, J. F., LYNSKEY, M. T., LYONS, M. J., EISEN, S. A., TSUANG, M. T., TRUE, W. R., & BUCHOLZ, K. K.
Affiliations
  • Washington University in St. Louis (US)
  • Boston University (US)
  • Harvard University (US)
  • Saint Louis University (US)
Venue
Psychological Medicine
Published
2005-09-29
Volume
36
Issue
1
Pages
109-118
ISSN
  • 0033-2917 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-8978
OpenAlex
W2122953373
Cited by
321
References
32
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 23
FWCI
7.17
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psychological Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Digital Commons@Becker (Washington University School of Medicine) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Defense
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Health Services Research and Development
  • Temple University
  • National Institutes of Health (AA11998)
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (AA11998, AA 12640, R01AA012640)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA-14363, R01DA014632, DA 14632, R01DA014363)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects
Keywords
adolescent alcohol use, alcoholism, cannabis use, drug addiction, substance abuse, genetic factors, family environment, unique environmental factors, twin discordance, Vietnam Era Twin Registry, age of onset of drinking
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Alcohol Drinking, Alcoholism, Female, Humans, Male, Registries, Risk Factors, Social Environment, Illicit Drugs, Twins, Disease Progression, Substance-Related Disorders

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