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We know alcoholism runs in families — children with alcoholic parents have quadruple the risk of developing a drinking problem later in life than those without — but is the link genetic or the result of other influences?
According to a Feb. 8 Wall Street Journal article outlining the evidence for „alcoholism genes,“ it is probably both. Researchers from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism, a 22-year National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) investigation into the relationship between DNA and alcoholism, have put together compelling evidence from family studies indicating the problem has roots in nature versus nurture. … (Source: Join Together, 02/28/11)

Identifying Links to Drinking May Lead to Drug Treatments Tailored to Your DNA.
Millions of Americans know all too painfully that alcoholism runs in families.
Children of alcoholic parents are four times as likely to develop drinking problems as the general population. Sons of alcoholic fathers face up to nine times the usual risk. Even babies of alcoholics adopted into non-drinking homes have nearly the same risk of alcoholism as they would if they’d stayed with their biological parents, studies have shown.
But untangling just which genes pass along the predisposition for problem drinking is devilishly difficult—largely because alcoholism itself is so complex. Genes that affect how fast the liver metabolizes alcohol and how the brain reacts to stress, reward and pleasure have all been implicated, as have genes for anxiety and depression. Some overlap with genes for nicotine, cocaine and other addictions. … Source: Alcohol Reports, 02/07/11) online.wsj.com, 02/08/11