The following is a summary of “Genetic predisposition to major depressive disorder differentially impacts alcohol consumption and high-risk drinking situations in men and women with alcohol use disorder,” published in the February 2023 issue of Drug and Alcohol Dependence by Karpyak et al.

A sex-specific correlation exists between pre-treatment alcohol consumption and the lifetime occurrence of major depressive disorder (MDD) in individuals with alcohol dependence. This study examined the correlation between the genetic burden for MDD, as determined by a polygenic risk score (PRS), and pre-treatment alcohol consumption evaluated through Timeline Follow Back. Our sample consisted of 287 male and 156 female individuals who met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for alcohol dependence. The Inventory of Drug Taking Situations (IDTS) was utilized to evaluate the individual’s favored drinking circumstances. Linear regression models were employed to examine the correlation between standardized alcohol consumption metrics and MDD-PRS while controlling for factors such as ethnicity, age, gender, and the number of abstinence days at the study’s start. We conducted model fitting with and without accounting for covariates such as MDD history and alcohol-use-related polygenic risk scores (PRSs). 

In males, an elevated MDD-PRS was linked to a decrease in overall alcohol consumption within 90 days (β = −0.16, p = 0.0012), whereas in females, no significant association was observed (β = 0.11, p = 0.18). The correlation between MDD-PRS and IDTS measures exhibited gender-specific patterns. Females with higher MDD-PRS were more inclined to consume alcohol in situations that provoke temptation, whereas males displayed a contrary (adverse) correlation. The Major Depressive Disorder Polygenic Risk Score (MDD-PRS) did not relate to the life history of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in our sample. 

Furthermore, adjusting for lifetime MDD and alcohol-related Polygenic Risk Scores (PRSs) did not affect the outcomes. The findings indicate that the genetic burden for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) has a sex-specific influence on alcohol consumption before treatment. This effect is comparable to the impact of MDD history, but it is distinct and unrelated. Future studies should investigate the clinical implications of these findings and the biological and psychological factors that contribute to them.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0376871622004902