A new study out of the University of Chicago Medicine following young adult drinkers for 10 years has found that individuals who reported the highest sensitivity to alcohol’s pleasurable and rewarding effects at the start of the trial were more likely to develop an alcohol use disorder (AUD) over the course of the study.

University of Chicago Medical Center. “Increase in pleasurable effects of alcohol over time can predict alcohol use disorder: New research challenges existing dogma that higher tolerance for stimulating and rewarding effects of alcohol leads to addiction.” ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/01/210105084649.htm (accessed January 7, 2021).

Journal Reference: Andrea King, Ashley Vena, Deborah S. Hasin, Harriet deWit, Sean J. O’Connor, Dingcai Cao. Subjective Responses to Alcohol in the Development and Maintenance of Alcohol Use Disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 2021; appi.ajp.2020.2 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20030247

Uh oh.