Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Translational Neurogenomics Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia.
Psychol Med. 2020 Feb;50(3):484-498. doi: 10.1017/S0033291719000357. Epub 2019 Mar 15.
Frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption are metrics commonly used to measure alcohol consumption behaviors. Epidemiological studies indicate that these alcohol consumption measures are differentially associated with (mental) health outcomes and socioeconomic status (SES). The current study aims to elucidate to what extent genetic risk factors are shared between frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption, and how these alcohol consumption measures are genetically associated with four broad phenotypic categories: (i) SES; (ii) substance use disorders; (iii) other psychiatric disorders; and (iv) psychological/personality traits.
Genome-Wide Association analyses were conducted to test genetic associations with alcohol consumption frequency (N = 438 308) and alcohol consumption quantity (N = 307 098 regular alcohol drinkers) within UK Biobank. For the other phenotypes, we used genome-wide association studies summary statistics. Genetic correlations (rg) between the alcohol measures and other phenotypes were estimated using LD score regression.
We found a substantial genetic correlation between the frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption (rg = 0.52). Nevertheless, both measures consistently showed opposite genetic correlations with SES traits, and many substance use, psychiatric, and psychological/personality traits. High alcohol consumption frequency was genetically associated with high SES and low risk of substance use disorders and other psychiatric disorders, whereas the opposite applies for high alcohol consumption quantity.
Although the frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption show substantial genetic overlap, they consistently show opposite patterns of genetic associations with SES-related phenotypes. Future studies should carefully consider the potential influence of SES on the shared genetic etiology between alcohol and adverse (mental) health outcomes.
饮酒频率和饮酒量是衡量饮酒行为的常用指标。流行病学研究表明，这些饮酒指标与（精神）健康结果和社会经济地位（SES）存在差异关联。本研究旨在阐明饮酒频率和饮酒量之间遗传风险因素的共享程度，以及这些饮酒指标与四个广泛的表型类别之间的遗传关联程度：（i）SES；（ii）物质使用障碍；（iii）其他精神障碍；和（iv）心理/人格特质。
我们在 UK Biobank 中进行了全基因组关联分析，以检验与饮酒频率（N = 438308）和饮酒量（N = 307098 名经常饮酒者）相关的遗传因素。对于其他表型，我们使用了全基因组关联研究汇总统计数据。使用 LD 得分回归估计了酒精测量值与其他表型之间的遗传相关性（rg）。
我们发现饮酒频率和饮酒量之间存在很大的遗传相关性（rg = 0.52）。尽管如此，这两个指标与 SES 特征以及许多物质使用、精神和心理/人格特质的遗传相关性始终相反。高饮酒频率与高 SES 和低物质使用障碍和其他精神障碍风险相关，而高饮酒量则相反。
尽管饮酒频率和饮酒量之间存在很大的遗传重叠，但它们与 SES 相关表型的遗传关联模式始终相反。未来的研究应仔细考虑 SES 对酒精和不良（精神）健康结果之间共享遗传病因的潜在影响。
