Sibling effects on substance use: Disentangling genetic and environmental factors

描述（由申请人提供）：本项目的主要目标是：(1)研究影响物质使用开始时间的遗传和环境因素，并解释早期首次使用与后来的问题之间的联系；(2)评估兄弟姐妹效应作为家庭对问题产生和发展的影响来源；(3)将有关酒精与其他物质滥用的研究结果结合起来。我的长期职业目标是制定一个研究项目，通过确定酒精和其他物质参与不同阶段的遗传和环境风险因素，为预防和干预策略提供信息。本提案主要有两个研究目的。第一个目标将采用酒精、烟草和大麻使用的措施，以审查特定物质和早期开始使用的共同风险来源以及逐渐加重使用和问题。将在潜在的遗传和环境水平以及测量的遗传水平上对风险来源进行评估。第二个目标将评估兄弟姐妹的社会影响对酒精、烟草和大麻的影响，包括开始使用物质的时间和从开始使用到更严重使用和问题的进展。将对两个数据集进行分析：(1)对12-32岁的双胞胎和兄弟姐妹的不同遗传相关性样本进行四次评估；(2)以社区为基础，对24-40岁的成年双胞胎及其兄弟姐妹进行抽样调查。在获奖期间，我将通过课程学习、参加教学研讨会、与专家顾问会面等方式，获得行为遗传学、分子遗传学、纵向数据分析等先进统计方法的培训，增加我对烟草和大麻参与的发展和进展的知识基础。我还将致力于精通有效的手稿和拨款写作所需的技能。这些培训机会对于当前项目的目标和我成为研究型大学教授的长期目标都是至关重要的。这个项目的结果可以为酒精和其他物质参与的理论和发展模型以及基于家庭的干预工作提供信息。将酒精和其他物质的研究结果结合起来

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The broad goals of this project are to (1) examine the genetic and environmental factors that influence the timing of substance use initiation and explain the link between early first use and later problems; (2) evaluate sibling effects as a source of familial influence on initiation and progression toward problems; and (3) integrate findings regarding alcohol involvement with those for other substances of abuse. My long-term career objective is to develop a program of research that informs prevention and intervention strategies by identifying genetic and environmental risk factors for different stages of alcohol and other substance involvement. Specific Aims There are two primary research aims of this proposal. The first aim will employ measures of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use to examine both substance-specific and common sources of risk for early age of initiation and the progression to heavier use and problems. Sources of risk will be evaluated at both the latent genetic and environmental levels and the measured genetic level. The second aim will evaluate the effect of sibling social influence on alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis involvement with regard to both the timing of substance use initiation and the progression from initiation to heavier use and problems. Analyses will be conducted in two datasets: (1) a sample of twins and siblings of varying genetic relatedness assessed in four waves from ages 12-32; and (2) a national community-based sample of adult twin pairs and their siblings aged 24-40. During the period of award, I will obtain training via coursework, attendance at didactic workshops, and meetings with expert consultants in advanced statistical methods for behavior genetic, molecular genetic, and longitudinal data analysis, and will increase my knowledge base of the development and progression of tobacco and cannabis involvement. I will also aim to become proficient in skills necessary for effective manuscript- and grant-writing. These training opportunities will be essential both for the goals of the current project and for my long-term goal of becoming a professor at a research-intensive university. Significance Results from this project could inform theoretical and developmental models of alcohol and other substance involvement, as well as family-based intervention efforts. Integrating findings for alcohol with those for other substances of abuse and clarifying both substance-specific and common risk factors for initiation and progression will indicate which intervention strategies are likely to have the most widespread effects. In addition, findings will help determine whether and how to target sibling influences on substance use, which have been largely ignored in prevention models focused on parent and peer factors.