Early drinking, genetics and dependence

A new study offers some answers to the questions provoked by studies finding a strong relationship between early drinking and dependence later in life. Those questions center around the nature of this relationship: is the early drinking related to genetic or environmental factors that predispose the person for alcohol dependence? or, does early drinking change the brain in ways that leads to alcohol dependence?

This study determines that "genetic risk accounts in large part for this association."

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