Cited by 101Genetic Associations and EpidemiologySubstance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesAlcohol Consumption and Health Effects

Genome‐wide association study of alcohol use disorder identification test (AUDIT) scores in 20 328 research participants of European ancestry

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Sanchez‐Roige, Sandra, Fontanillas, Pierre, Elson, Sarah L., The 23andMe Research Team, Gray, Joshua C., de Wit, Harriet, Davis, Lea K., MacKillop, James +1 more·2019·Addiction Biology

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Abstract

Genetic factors contribute to the risk for developing alcohol use disorder (AUD). In collaboration with the genetics company 23andMe, Inc., we performed a genome‐wide association study of the alcohol use disorder identification test (AUDIT), an instrument designed to screen for alcohol misuse over the past year. Our final sample consisted of 20 328 research participants of European ancestry (55.3% females; mean age = 53.8, SD = 16.1) who reported ever using alcohol. Our results showed that the ‘chip‐heritability’ of AUDIT score, when treated as a continuous phenotype, was 12%. No loci reached genome‐wide significance. The gene ADH1C , which has been previously implicated in AUD, was among our most significant associations (4.4 × 10 −7 ; rs141973904). We also detected a suggestive association on chromosome 1 (2.1 × 10 −7 ; rs182344113) near the gene KCNJ9 , which has been implicated in mouse models of high ethanol drinking. Using linkage disequilibrium score regression, we identified positive genetic correlations between AUDIT score, high alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking. We also observed an unexpected positive genetic correlation between AUDIT and educational attainment and additional unexpected negative correlations with body mass index/obesity and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder. We conclude that conducting a genetic study using responses to an online questionnaire in a population not ascertained for AUD may represent a cost‐effective strategy for elucidating aspects of the etiology of AUD.

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  • The distribution of consumption levels and AUDIT scores can be highly skewed in population samples, with most individuals at the low (non-pathological) end of the spectrum.

    “One key factor in interpreting the differences between these traits and AD is that the distribution of consumption levels and AUDIT scores can be highly skewed in population samples, with most individuals at the low (non-pathological) end of the spectrum.”
  • No significant genetic correlation was observed between AD and AUDIT in 23andMe (rg = 0.076, p = 0.65).

    “No significant genetic correlation was observed between AD and a recent GWAS of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) in a 23andMe cohort18 (rg = 0.076, SE = 0.171, p = 0.65)”
  • There was no significant genetic correlation between AD and GWAS of log-scaled AUDIT scores in 23andMe participants (rg = 0.076).

    “In addition there was no significant correlation with GWAS of log-scaled AUDIT scores in 23andMe participants18 (rg = 0.076).”
  • The h2g estimate for AD in EU is only modestly lower than those recently reported for alcohol consumption (h2g = 0.13) and AUDIT scores (h2g = 0.12), and comparable to estimates for cigarettes-per-day.

    “The estimated h2g = 0.09 for AD in EU is only modestly lower than those recently reported for alcohol consumption (h2g = 0.13)17 and AUDIT scores (h2g = 0.12)18, and comparable to estimates derived for cigarettes-per-day25.”
  • This skew may be especially pronounced among the older, healthy volunteers of the UK Biobank cohort and in the 23andMe cohort, which is more educated and has higher socioeconomic status than the general US population.

    “This effect may be especially pronounced among the older, healthy volunteers of the UK Biobank cohort32 and in the 23andMe cohort, which is more educated and has higher socioeconomic status than the general US population18.”

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Authors
Sanchez‐Roige, S., Fontanillas, P., Elson, S. L., The 23andMe Research Team, Gray, J. C., de Wit, H., Davis, L. K., MacKillop, J., & Palmer, A. A.
Affiliations
  • University of California San Diego (US)
  • 23andMe (United States) (US)
  • Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (US)
  • Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience University of Chicago Chicago IL USA
  • Vanderbilt University (US)
  • Homewood Research Institute (CA)
Corresponding author
Palmer, Abraham A.
Venue
Addiction Biology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2017-10-23
Volume
24
Issue
1
Pages
121-131
ISSN
  • 1355-6215 (ISSN-L)
  • 1369-1600
OpenAlex
W2953354514
Cited by
101
References
106
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 1
FWCI
6.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Addiction Biology (publishedVersion)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (R25MH081482)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects
Keywords
alcoholism, AUDIT score, alcohol misuse screening, ADH1C, genetic correlation, cigarette smoking, educational attainment, body mass index, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, European ancestry
MeSH terms
Cigarette Smoking, Adult, Aged, Alcohol Drinking, Alcoholism, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Educational Status, Female, Humans, Male, Mass Screening, Middle Aged, Obesity, Phenotype, Surveys and Questionnaires, Linkage Disequilibrium, Body Mass Index, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, White People, Genome-Wide Association Study

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