Alcohol misuse in emerging adulthood: Association of dopamine and serotonin receptor genes with impulsivity-related cognition

Abstract

Impulsivity predicts alcohol misuse and risk for alcohol use disorder. Cognition mediates much of this association. Genes also account for a large amount of variance in alcohol misuse, with dopamine and serotonin receptor genes of particular interest, because of their role in motivated behavior. The precise psychological mechanisms through which such genes confer risk is unclear. Trait impulsivity conveys risk for alcohol misuse by influencing two distinct domains of cognition: beliefs about the reinforcing effects of alcohol consumption (positive alcohol expectancy) and the perceived ability to resist it (drinking refusal self-efficacy). This study investigated the effect of the dopamine-related polymorphism in the DRD2/ANKK1 gene (rs1800497) and a serotonin-related polymorphism in the HTR2A gene (rs6313) on associations between impulsivity, cognition, and alcohol misuse in 120 emerging adults (18-21years). HTR2A predicted lower positive alcohol expectancy, higher refusal self-efficacy, and lower alcohol misuse. However, neither polymorphism moderated the linkages between impulsivity, cognition, and alcohol misuse. This is the first report of an association between HTR2A and alcohol-related cognition. Theoretically-driven biopsychosocial models have potential to elucidate the specific cognitive mechanisms through which distal risk factors like genes and temperament affect alcohol misuse in emerging adulthood.

What Did You Expect? Substance Use Expectancies Mediate the Relationships Between Dark Triad Traits, Substance Use, and Substance Preference

“…Substance use expectancies exist as early as childhood (Dunn & Goldman, 2000) and have been shown to predict high-risk drinking in adolescents (Christiansen, Smith, Roehling, & Goldman, 1989;Vik, Carrello, Tate, & Field, 2000). Leamy, Connor, Voisey, Young, and Gullo (2016) showed that the increased reward drive of the BAS found in people high in DT traits was a significant predictor of positive substance use expectancies which, in turn, was associated with increased alcohol misuse. Lee, Oi, Greeley, and Baglioni (2003) demonstrated five dimensions of substance use expectances, three of which may be specifically important for the link between DT traits and substance use and preference: increased confidence, cognitive enhancement, and tension reduction.…”

Social cognitive mediators of the relationship between impulsivity traits and adolescent alcohol use: Identifying unique targets for prevention

“…This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy that is reinforced when realised. Several studies now empirically support these relationships in a range of populations [21–24].…”

Smells like teen spirits: investigating impulsivity and alcohol-related cognition as modifiable risk factors for adolescent alcohol use intervention

“…It is proposed that this creates a self-fulfilling prophecy that is reinforced when realised. Several studies now empirically support the bSCT model in a range of populations (Gullo, St. John, et al, 2014;Harnett, Lynch, Gullo, Dawe, & Loxton, 2013;Kabbani & Kambouropoulos, 2013;Leamy, Connor, Voisey, Young, & Gullo, 2016;Papinczak et al, in press).…”

“…The authors did not find evidence for the polymorphisms moderating the relationships between impulsivity, cognitions and alcohol use. However, there was a novel finding of the direct impact of the HTR2A gene, as the presence of this gene was associated with lower positive alcohol expectancies, higher drinking refusal self-efficacy and reduced alcohol misuse (Leamy, Connor, Voisey, Young, & Gullo, 2016). Together these findings suggest that there may be some impact of genes implicated in alcohol risk on alcohol use onset and dependence and this may indirectly affect factors within the bSCT model.…”

“…Secondly, there is evidence that genetics play an important role in the development of adolescent alcohol consumption (Heinrich et al, 2016) and even alcohol cognitions after use onset (Young-Wolff et al, 2015). Research investigating genetic influences on the bSCT risk factors has been conducted in adult populations (Connor et al, 2008;Gullo, St. John, et al, 2014;Leamy et al, 2016;Swagell et al, 2012). It was not within the scope of the current thesis to include genetic factors.…”