Scientific Mission
COGA's aim is to identify the genes involved in alcoholism. There is a large body of twin-studies and adoption-studies that show that alcoholism is inherited. COGA is trying to determine more specifically how it is inherited and what genes are involved. There is no one gene that controls alcoholism, rather it is polygenetically controlled.
That means there are several different genes that influence risk factors involved in alcoholism. Examples of these risk factors include one's level of response to alcohol, a person's neuroelectrochemistry, and other psychiatric disorders, such as Antisocial Personality Disorder or clinical depression.
Read more about this topic: Collaborative Studies On Genetics Of Alcoholism
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