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Polygenic risk for alcohol dependence associates with alcohol consumption, cognitive function and social deprivation in a population‐based cohort
Author(s) -
Clarke ToniKim,
Smith Andrew H.,
Gelernter Joel,
Kranzler Henry R.,
Farrer Lindsay A.,
Hall Lynsey S.,
FernandezPujals Ana M.,
MacIntyre Donald J.,
Smith Blair H.,
Hocking Lynne J.,
Padmanabhan Sandosh,
Hayward Caroline,
Thomson Pippa A.,
Porteous David J.,
Deary Ian J.,
McIntosh Andrew M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
addiction biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.445
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1369-1600
pISSN - 1355-6215
DOI - 10.1111/adb.12245
Subject(s) - genome wide association study , verbal fluency test , cognition , psychology , population , alcohol dependence , cohort , memory span , verbal learning , psychiatry , genetics , gerontology , medicine , alcohol , working memory , neuropsychology , biology , single nucleotide polymorphism , environmental health , genotype , biochemistry , gene
Alcohol dependence is frequently co‐morbid with cognitive impairment. The relationship between these traits is complex as cognitive dysfunction may arise as a consequence of heavy drinking or exist prior to the onset of dependence. In the present study, we tested the genetic overlap between cognitive abilities and alcohol dependence using polygenic risk scores ( PGRS ). We created two independent PGRS derived from two recent genome‐wide association studies ( GWAS ) of alcohol dependence ( SAGE GWAS : n = 2750; Y ale‐ P enn GWAS : n = 2377) in a population‐based cohort, Generation S cotland: S cottish Family Health Study ( GS : SFHS ) ( n = 9863). Data on alcohol consumption and four tests of cognitive function [ M ill H ill Vocabulary ( MHV ), digit symbol coding, phonemic verbal fluency ( VF ) and logical memory] were available. PGRS for alcohol dependence were negatively associated with two measures of cognitive function: MHV ( SAGE : P = 0.009, β = −0.027; Y ale‐ P enn: P = 0.001, β = −0.034) and VF ( SAGE : P = 0.0008, β = −0.036; Y ale‐ P enn: P = 0.00005, β = −0.044). VF remained robustly associated after adjustment for education and social deprivation; however, the association with MHV was substantially attenuated. Shared genetic variants may account for some of the phenotypic association between cognitive ability and alcohol dependence. A significant negative association between PGRS and social deprivation was found ( SAGE : P = 5.2 × 10 −7 , β = −0.054; Y ale‐ P enn: P = 0.000012, β = −0.047). Individuals living in socially deprived regions were found to carry more alcohol dependence risk alleles which may contribute to the increased prevalence of problem drinking in regions of deprivation. Future work to identify genes which affect both cognitive impairment and alcohol dependence will help elucidate biological processes common to both disorders.