Citation

Lannoy S, Heron J, Hickman M, Edwards AC. J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Alcohol Research Documentation, Inc., Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)

DOI

10.15288/jsad.22-00420

PMID

36971764

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Binge drinking is characterized by excessive alcohol use and is widespread in youth. We explore the relationship between binge drinking's risk factors by considering (i) aggregate genetic liability (polygenic risk score [PGS]) for alcohol use and problems and (ii) impulsivity-related processes. We examined whether the associations between PGS and binge drinking were mediated by impulsivity, with a possible shared genetic liability between alcohol phenotypes and impulsivity.

METHOD: We included participants from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (N=2,545 participants) and evaluated PGS for alcohol use and problems and impulsivity-related processes (sensation seeking at age 18 and inhibition at age 24). We measured binge drinking frequency (24 years old) as the outcome. Correlations and structural equation models were used to test a hypothesized model of the relationships among these variables.

RESULTS: Higher binge drinking frequency was related to higher aggregate genetic liability for alcohol use and problems in both models (standardized betas 0.055-0.064, all ps<0.009). We also found an association between binge drinking and sensation seeking (standardized beta=0.224, p<0.0001), but not inhibition (standardized beta=-0.015, p=0.437). Though the association between binge drinking and PGS for alcohol use and problems was mainly direct, a proportion of the association with alcohol problems was mediated by sensation seeking (14.61%).

CONCLUSIONS: Sensation seeking at the end of adolescence may constitute a good target to prevent binge drinking in adulthood, while considering the role of genetic factors may improve our understanding of at-risk youth.

Language: en

Keywords

Alcohol; Sensation seeking; ALSPAC; Inhibition; Polygenic score