Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science Connection between eye color and alcoholism discovered

This research, spearheaded by Arvis Sulovari (a graduate of the Dartmouth Class of 2010), is critical because it is the first to make a direct connection between a person’s eye color and alcohol dependence (2). The findings imply that eye pigments could be useful in future research of alcohol dependency and other alcohol consumption behaviors. Further research may reveal a linkage between other ethnic groups’ ocular features and their different levels of susceptibility to alcoholic issues.

The Genetics of Blue Eye Color

But for the majority of illnesses, our genes only give us a predisposition towards diseases, affected by environmental factors. And for a disease like alcoholism, there are a huge number of non-genetic factors that can influence how and why people drink, such as social or cultural attitudes, income level, upbringing, and stress. So while eye color may correlate with alcoholism, no one is quite sure of the cause of this connection—but there’s little chance that the blue-eyed genes are causing it. There is no official link between the genes involved in eye color and those responsible for the glitches in alcohol metabolism.

If dark eyes are positively related to physiological sensitivity this might be seen in a greater response to various drugs including alcohol. A greater or earlier response to alcohol might serve to decrease the amount of alcohol consumed by the steady drinker since a smaller amount would result in an equivalent effect. For that reason, persons who are most sensitive to alcohol would, perhaps, be less likely to drink enough to become physiologically addicted. What we do know, however, is that alcohol misuse has to do with the concepts of tolerance and dependence. While tolerance doesn’t always lead to dependence, the two are connected, and an increased ability to tolerate alcohol can lead to greater intake (possibly to the levels of misuse) and, eventually, a physical reliance (dependence) on the substance. In the most general sense, geneticists consider dark eye color to be a dominant trait and light eye color to be recessive.

Study suggests link between eye color and alcohol dependence

1. The University of Vermont’s study highlighted a correlation between light-colored eyes and alcoholism, with a particular focus on blue eyes.
2. The mechanism behind tolerance and dependence is based on the way alcohol affects our brain — most notably the way it changes the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain.
3. The Vermont study is one among many that attempts to link genetic factors to alcohol misuse.
4. From that extensive database, Li’s and Sulovari’s study filtered out the alcohol-dependent patients with European ancestry, a total of 1,263 samples.

A potential connection between blue eyes and alcoholism might involve complex biological processes informed by the principles of genetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry. People with light-colored eyes — which researchers defined as blue, green, gray, or with brown in the center — may have a greater chance of becoming dependent on alcohol, a new study from the University of Vermont suggests. Researchers found that within a sample of 1,263 European-Americans, alcohol dependence was more prevalent among those with light eyes than those with dark brown eyes. People with blue eyes had the highest rates of alcohol dependence, according to the study. Scientists controlled for other variables that could influence the result, such as age, sex and genetic ancestry.

Gene Tests Are Quite Telling – Should You Get One?

It makes sense to be aware of the risks, but other than that, we get to determine what role alcohol plays in our lives. Although the link hasn’t been confirmed through genetic studies, it has been suggested in some observational studies, which point to a possible genetic connection that hasn’t been found yet. Research into these mechanisms may eventually contribute to the development of more targeted treatment and prevention strategies, considering the multifaceted nature of genetic and environmental influences on health. Call us today to speak with a Recovery Advocate for free about your treatment options.

Biological Mechanisms Behind the Blue Eyes and Alcoholism Correlation

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. Study co-author Dawei Li, an assistant professor of microbiology and molecular genetics, has worked with other scientists for years to build a genetic database of more than 10,000 people. All are affected by at least one mental illness, but many have multiple disorders, including depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, along with alcohol or drug dependence. But wait a second, what about that brown-eyed kid your blue-eyed friend had with her blue-eyed husband?

In the future, the researchers hope to pursue more connections between genetic background and mental illness. But if you’re concerned about the genes behind alcoholism, for now you might do better to consider your own family history of alcoholism than your eye color. In addition to affecting alcohol metabolism, our genes might play a role in the actions of neurotransmitters involved in AUD — in particular, GABA. Some studies have suggested that variants in GABA receptors (proteins involved in neurotransmitter signaling) might make some folks more susceptible to the effects of booze.

Recessive traits show up if the offspring receives two copies from each parent, but in the case of a dominant-recessive combo, the dominant trait wins out. The information contained on this website is not intended to be a substitute for, or to be relied upon as, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. More research is needed to understand the association between light-colored eyes and a greater incidence of alcoholism, the scientists said.

It is possible that individuals with blue eyes, who may be more sensitive to light due to lower levels of melanin, What is Powdered Alcohol and is it Dangerous experience different environmental interactions that could influence alcohol consumption behaviors. Moreover, cultural and social factors may also play a role, where certain eye colors are more prevalent in populations with specific drinking patterns or attitudes toward alcohol. Within the scientific community, there is a continuous quest to understand the underlying biological mechanisms contributing to various phenotypes and health conditions.