Genetic and environmental influences predict early adolescent alcohol use

Genetic and environmental influences predict early adolescent alcohol use | Image Credit: © freshidea - stock.adobe.com.

Alcohol use during adolescence is associated with increased risk for mental health disorders, cognitive impairments, and later substance use disorders. A new study led by Rutgers researchers and published in Translational Psychiatry examined how genetic, psychological, and environmental factors contribute to the initiation of alcohol use and the transition from a first sip to a first full drink.^1,2

Study design

The study used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the largest long-term investigation of brain development and child health in the United States. This NIH-funded cohort has followed nearly 12,000 youth from age 9 and will continue through age 18. The current analysis focused on three milestones: age at first sip of alcohol, age at first full drink, and the time it took to progress between the 2.

Researchers incorporated polygenic risk scores, neuroimaging data, psychological assessments, and environmental measures to evaluate predictors of early alcohol use. Stepwise Cox proportional hazard models were applied to determine which factors uniquely contributed to each drinking milestone.

Key findings

Genetic predispositions, impulsivity-related traits, and environmental conditions each played significant roles. “We found that risk for early alcohol use was not just related to key environmental factors like parental substance use but was also associated with individual characteristics like genetics and impulsive personality,” said Sarah Brislin, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and senior author of the study. “No one type of information provided the whole picture.”

Among the strongest predictors of early sipping were genetic liability for behavioral disinhibition, impulsive personality traits, and prenatal exposure to substances. Transition to a full drink, however, was more strongly influenced by sensation-seeking and genetic predisposition than by environmental factors.

“Environment, particularly home environment, plays a key role in when kids have their first exposure to alcohol; however, once they have their first sip, individual factors like genetic predisposition and sensation-seeking personality features seem to be the driving whether they progress to additional milestones,” Brislin explained.

Environmental influences

Environmental variables such as parental history of substance use, prenatal drug or alcohol exposure, and family conflict increased the likelihood of earlier sipping and drinking. Conversely, protective factors included higher religiosity, greater parental monitoring, and stronger school engagement. Adolescents living in neighborhoods with greater educational opportunity and socioeconomic stability also had higher rates of early sipping, a finding the authors attributed to greater alcohol availability in the home.

Genetic and trait-level predictors

Polygenic risk scores for behavioral undercontrol and sensation-seeking traits showed consistent associations across all drinking milestones. Each standard deviation increase in the genetic risk score for behavioral disinhibition was associated with a 12% to 44% higher risk for initiating or progressing in alcohol use.

Neuroimaging data, however, did not yield significant associations with early sipping or drinking milestones in this cohort. The authors noted that larger samples and longer follow-up may be required to detect neural contributions.

Implications for prevention

Brislin emphasized that the findings support multifaceted prevention strategies. “Programs that address impulsivity, strengthen school engagement, and promote positive parenting may be especially beneficial,” she said. Early screening that integrates genetic, behavioral, and environmental risk factors may help identify adolescents most vulnerable to early alcohol initiation.

The study highlights the importance of considering both individual predispositions and environmental exposures when developing interventions. By identifying at-risk youth before alcohol initiation, clinicians and public health professionals may be able to reduce future substance use and related health consequences.

References:

1. Rutgers University, Study sheds light on early risk factors for teen drinking. Eurekalrt. July 29, 2025. Accessed August 26, 2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1093085
2. Choi M, Aliev F, Barr PB, et al. Genetic, psychological, and environmental factors are uniquely associated with onset of alcohol use in the adolescent brain cognitive development (ABCD) study. Translational Psychiatry. 2025;15(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03454-9