Alcoholism as a complex trait: comparison of genetic models and role of epidemiological risk factors.

A genetic component for alcoholism appears likely, but the genes involved have yet to be identified. The mode of inheritance is probably more complex than for traditional mendelian disorders. In particular, there are marked differences in alcoholism by gender, parent-of-origin effects, ethnicity, and other epidemiological factors. We investigated the evidence for the presence of susceptibility genes for alcohol dependence in the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism data set.