Jessica E Salvatore1,2, Seung Bin Cho1,3, Danielle M Dick1,3,4. 1. Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia. 2. Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia. 3. College Behavioral and Emotional Health Institute, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia. 4. Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The study of sex differences has been identified as one way to enhance scientific reproducibility, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have implemented a new policy to encourage the explicit examination of sex differences. Our goal here is to address sex differences in behavioral genetic research on alcohol outcomes. METHOD: We review sex differences for alcohol outcomes and whether the source and magnitude of genetic influences on alcohol consumption and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are the same across sexes; describe common research designs for studying sex-specific gene-by-environment interaction (G × E) effects; and discuss the role of statistical power and theory when testing sex-specific genetic effects. RESULTS: There are robust sex differences for many alcohol outcomes. The weight of evidence suggests that the source and magnitude of genetic influences on alcohol consumption and AUD are the same across sexes. Whether there are sex-specific G × E effects has received less attention to date. CONCLUSIONS: The new NIH policy necessitates a systematic approach for studying sex-specific genetic effects in alcohol research. Researchers are encouraged to report power for tests of these effects and to use theory to develop testable hypotheses, especially for studies of G × E.
OBJECTIVE: The study of sex differences has been identified as one way to enhance scientific reproducibility, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have implemented a new policy to encourage the explicit examination of sex differences. Our goal here is to address sex differences in behavioral genetic research on alcohol outcomes. METHOD: We review sex differences for alcohol outcomes and whether the source and magnitude of genetic influences on alcohol consumption and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are the same across sexes; describe common research designs for studying sex-specific gene-by-environment interaction (G × E) effects; and discuss the role of statistical power and theory when testing sex-specific genetic effects. RESULTS: There are robust sex differences for many alcohol outcomes. The weight of evidence suggests that the source and magnitude of genetic influences on alcohol consumption and AUD are the same across sexes. Whether there are sex-specific G × E effects has received less attention to date. CONCLUSIONS: The new NIH policy necessitates a systematic approach for studying sex-specific genetic effects in alcohol research. Researchers are encouraged to report power for tests of these effects and to use theory to develop testable hypotheses, especially for studies of G × E.
Authors: Brea L Perry; Bernice A Pescosolido; Kathleen Bucholz; Howard Edenberg; John Kramer; Samuel Kuperman; Marc Alan Schuckit; John I Nurnberger Journal: Behav Genet Date: 2013-08-23 Impact factor: 2.805
Authors: Jessica E Salvatore; Fazil Aliev; Alexis C Edwards; David M Evans; John Macleod; Matthew Hickman; Glyn Lewis; Kenneth S Kendler; Anu Loukola; Tellervo Korhonen; Antti Latvala; Richard J Rose; Jaakko Kaprio; Danielle M Dick Journal: Genes (Basel) Date: 2014-04-10 Impact factor: 4.096
Authors: Marc A Schuckit; Tom L Smith; Brinda K Rana; Lee Ann Mendoza; Dennis Clarke; Mari Kawamura Journal: Alcohol Clin Exp Res Date: 2019-05-02 Impact factor: 3.455
Authors: Peter B Barr; Jessica E Salvatore; Hermine H Maes; Tellervo Korhonen; Antti Latvala; Fazil Aliev; Richard Viken; Richard J Rose; Jaakko Kaprio; Danielle M Dick Journal: J Stud Alcohol Drugs Date: 2017-11 Impact factor: 2.582
Authors: Marc A Schuckit; Tom L Smith; Dennis Clarke; Lee Anne Mendoza; Mari Kawamura; Lara Schoen Journal: Alcohol Clin Exp Res Date: 2019-08-27 Impact factor: 3.455
Authors: Peter B Barr; Sally I-Chun Kuo; Fazil Aliev; Antti Latvala; Richard Viken; Richard J Rose; Jaakko Kaprio; Jessica E Salvatore; Danielle M Dick Journal: Addiction Date: 2019-07-30 Impact factor: 6.526