Addiction specialist explains why alcohol risk is not determined by one gene

The idea of a single alcoholism gene is mistaken, but inherited traits and the family environment can influence addiction risk, psychiatrist and addiction specialist Elvina Akhmetova explained.

The researcher at the Bekhterev psychiatry and neurology centre told Lenta.ru that certain neurobiological traits can be passed between generations. She also highlighted behaviours children learn by observing alcohol use in the family.

The doctor recommended considering a family history of alcohol problems even when relatives who drink frequently show no obvious signs of dependence. Her comments were published on 9 October.

The US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism also describes risk as an interaction between genes and environment. NIAAA says genetic factors account for about half the risk of developing alcohol use disorder. This estimates the contribution of factors to risk, rather than identifying one gene, establishing an inevitable outcome or diagnosing a particular person.