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Genes and impulsivity raise risk of early drinking in teens
Last reviewed: 03.08.2025
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Teen alcohol use risk isn't just driven by peer pressure or curiosity, according to a study led by researchers at Rutgers University.
The study, published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, draws on data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the largest long-term study of brain development and health in children in the United States. The study began following nearly 12,000 children from age 9 and will continue through age 18, tracking mental health, cognitive development, and substance use during adolescence.
Alcohol use during adolescence is associated with an increased risk of long-term mental health problems, substance use disorders, and cognitive impairment. Understanding the factors that contribute to early onset of use is key to developing effective prevention interventions—especially for those most at risk.
“We found that the risk of early alcohol use is associated not only with important environmental factors, such as parental substance use, but also with individual characteristics, such as genetics and impulsive personality traits,” says Sarah Brislin, an associate professor of psychiatry at Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, a member of the Rutgers Center for Addiction Research, and the study’s senior author. “No one piece of information provided the full picture.”
The researchers found that genetic risk for behavioral disinhibition (a tendency toward impulsive behavior and difficulty with self-control, often associated with conditions such as ADHD and substance abuse), impulsive personality traits, and prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol were important predictors of first exposure to alcohol (first drink). However, the transition from first drink to full-blown alcohol use was determined more by individual characteristics—especially sensation seeking and genetic predisposition—than by environment.
"The environment, especially the home environment, plays a key role in when a child first tries alcohol. However, after the first sip, individual factors such as genetic predisposition and sensation seeking become the main factors in progression," Brislin says.
The study used polygenic risk scores, structural and functional neuroimaging data, psychological tests and environmental information to assess three key stages of early alcohol use:
- age of first sip;
- age of first full use;
- the speed of transition from the first sip to full consumption.
The researchers used advanced statistical models to determine which risk factors were most specifically associated with each stage.
According to Brislin, this is one of the first studies to simultaneously consider the unique contributions of genetic, neural, psychological, and environmental risk factors to early alcohol use. Notably, genetic risk factors — particularly those associated with behavioral disinhibition — retained predictive power even after controlling for other variables, highlighting the promise of integrating genetic and behavioral screening in prevention science.
Brislin says the findings could help develop early interventions for at-risk teens before they start drinking. Programs that reduce impulsivity, increase school engagement, and promote positive parenting could be particularly effective.