Alcoholism is also a very complex disease, and many factors can contribute to its development. Alcoholism tends to run in families, and research has shown that alcoholism is more common among people with a family history of the disease. For example, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reveals that children of alcoholics are four times more likely to become alcoholics than other children.

Although 16.6% of the participants said that one or both of their parents were alcoholics, only 5% of those surveyed knew that the children of alcoholics have an increased risk of developing the disease. Scientists are still trying to determine exactly how the genetics of alcoholism work. Children of alcoholic parents or grandparents often struggle with problem drinking themselves. More recent studies digging deep into the science behind this disease are trying to discover if there is a genetic predisposition for alcoholism. Is there any scientific evidence that your genes may predispose you to become an alcoholic if your parents or grandparents are?

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For alcoholism, many of these disorders include anxiety and depression, where alcohol is used as a coping mechanism.This can also include post-traumatic stress disorder or general trauma. Trauma can lead to someone starting to drink more heavily in general as well, and isn’t always classified https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/genetics-of-alcoholism-is-alcohol-abuse-hereditary/ as a co-occurring disorder, but as a sort of catalyst. For people to cope with trauma, they may turn to alcohol or drug use, for example. Particularly affected is the upper digestive tract, colon, rectum, and liver. The oral cavity and esophagus receive exposure to high levels of alcohol.

While many studies have been done and experts agree that there is a hereditary connection, genetics is not the only factor and we don’t quite know the full impact it has on alcoholism. It makes the inevitability of familial alcoholism seem guaranteed when studies have shown a wide range of outcomes, including some individuals who never develop any symptoms or risks at all. Similarly, while there is a genetic component to alcohol tolerance, there have been largely inconclusive results about an alcohol dependence gene being hereditary. As we have learned more about the role genes play in our health, researchers have discovered that different factors can alter the expression of our genes. Scientists are learning more and more about how epigenetics can affect our risk for developing AUD.

Environmental Risk Factors for Alcohol Abuse

An additional challenge in the search for genetic variants that affect
the risk for AUDs is that there is extensive clinical heterogeneity among those
meeting criteria. Because the diagnosis of an AUD requires the presence of a set of
symptoms from a checklist, there are many different ways one could meet the
criteria. There are 35 different ways one could pick 3 criteria from 7 (DSM-IV
alcohol dependence) and 330 ways to pick 4 from 11 (DSM-5 severe AUD). The clinical
heterogeneity likely reflects the genetic heterogeneity of the disease. The
difficulties of genetic studies are compounded by environmental heterogeneity in
access to alcohol and social norms related to drinking.

• Experts hope that if they can trace alcoholism to one gene or a combination of genes, they could use the information to identify those at risk and create early prevention methods.
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• This could be because they are already predisposed to substance use, but it may also be caused by a need to fit in and the utilization of substance as a social lubricant.

Treating dual diagnosis and co-occurring disorders is vital to help individuals struggling with addiction and mental health challenges. That’s why we take an integrated approach to help people recover from both challenges at the same time. Our Outpatient Program allows clients who have completed previous addiction treatment programs to continue their recovery in a supervised and safe environment.

Mayo Clinic Minute: How genetics factor into treating alcohol use disorder

People who have inherited a likelihood of developing coronary artery disease can take precautions. Likewise, those at risk of developing alcoholism can learn to recognize the potential problems and modify their behavior accordingly. A study was done in which scientists selectively bred two strains of mice. The study included mice that were not genetically sensitive to alcohol and those that were acutely sensitive to it. The two strains showed dramatically different behavior when exposed to identical amounts of alcohol. The ability to genetically select for these traits shows that there are genetic bases for them.

• But genetic markers also may help improve treatment of alcohol use disorder.
• Indeed, scientists have argued about the genetic and hereditary influences on addiction for decades.
• Drinking in moderation and limiting your alcohol consumption can help to decrease the odds of developing alcohol dependence and also for alcoholism.
• Alcohol is widely consumed, but excessive use creates serious physical,
  psychological and social problems and contributes to many diseases.
• A person with a genetic disease has an abnormality in their genome; an individual with a hereditary disease has received a genetic mutation from their parents’ DNA.
• Some genes increase a person’s risk and others decrease the risk directly or indirectly.

It is not surprising that alcohol consumption contributes to diseases of the gastrointestinal system, such as pancreatitis, and cancers of the upper GI tract. People with any of the above traits, or a combination of these traits, tend to have a higher risk of trying addictive substances. For example, those who are adventurous and enjoy taking risks have been found to have elevated dopamine levels in their brains.

And they may need to attend a series of therapy sessions in a treatment center. Again, just because a family member struggles with alcoholism does not mean it is inevitable that you also will. The risk of alcoholism is considered just as much environmental, social, and behavioral as it is genetic and heritable. NIAAA has funded the Collaborative Studies on Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) since 1989, with the goal of identifying the specific genes that influence alcohol use disorder.