Upon first encountering a new patient, a good physician notes physical features that suggest increased risk of pathology. A patient with clubbed fingernails or toenails should be evaluated for pulmonary insufficiency.

Alcohol Use Disorder: Definitions, Causes, and Prevalence

Li came to the University of Vermont in 2012 and has studied psychiatric genetics for a decade. Many have multiple diagnoses of diseases, including depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, as well as addiction and alcohol or drug dependence. Genes related to eye color influence the production and distribution of pigments like melanin, eumelanin, and pheomelanin in the iris. Blue eyes occur when there is a lower concentration of melanin within the iris, allowing the collagen and stroma of the iris to scatter light, which gives the appearance of blue. Genetic variations, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), play a crucial role in these pigment processes. As a result, a more complete and confident understanding of the possible relationships between eye color and alcohol tolerance remains elusive, and the meme remains unproven.

Alcoholism and Genetic Influences

Most Americans are taught that eye color is a single-gene trait – that a brown-eye gene variant is dominant over the blue-eye variant. The OCA2 gene on human chromosome 15 has a major impact on eye color by producing a protein that controls melanin formation and processing.1 The more OCA2 activity in the iris melanocytes, the darker the eye color. However, as many as seven other genes can impact melanin deposition, resulting in shades of blue and green and explaining why two blue-eyed parents can have green-eyed children. Blue eyes, brown eyes, green eyes, or hazel — if alcohol abuse is a problem, with or without co-occurring mental health symptoms, comprehensive treatment is the best possible way to manage the issue.

We offer a wide range of treatment programs, from comprehensive inpatient services to group therapy, so contact us today to learn more. Both samples showed that individuals with a light eye color consumed significantly more alcohol than those with dark eyes. People with light-colored eyes, such as blue or green, may be more likely to notice variations in their eye color. This can be influenced by the clothing colors and the surroundings that reflect in their eyes, creating the illusion of a color shift. “This suggests an intriguing possibility – that eye color can be useful in the clinic for alcohol dependence diagnosis,” Sulovari says.

1. The heritability of AUD is estimated to be around 40%, suggesting that genetics plays a significant role in the risk of developing this condition.
2. A study led by the University of Vermont, published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics, found that individuals with blue eyes showed higher rates of alcohol dependence compared to those with darker eyes.
3. Researchers now believe that eye color indicates more than a random throw of the genetic dice.
4. Other studies also have demonstrated a link between eye color and people’s risk of psychiatric illness, addiction and behavioral problems, according to the study.

An alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a medical condition characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences. It encompasses a range of behaviors from mild to severe and can develop into a significant health risk if left untreated. According to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 28.8 million adults had AUD in the last year. With so many people affected by AUD, recognizing the signs of this disease is crucial for early intervention and successful management. These implications underscore the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, combining genetic, neurobiological, and behavioral research, to unravel the complex relationship between physical traits like eye color and susceptibility to addiction. Such research could ultimately lead to more effective strategies for the prevention and treatment of alcoholism and other substance use disorders.