Alcohol misuse is a global health issue responsible for over 1 million hospital admissions per annum in the UK with a combined cost of approximately £21 billion. Chronic alcohol misuse in patients who attend hospital for alcohol-related illness/injury is common, with relapse and recidivism almost ubiquitous. Patients often report that 'stress' was a catalyst for their drinking episodes, but we do not know exactly who is most at risk, how stress leads to drinking, or the genetic basis for this risk. This research aims to seek to identify patients at higher risk of stress-induced alcohol misuse, or who are more resilient to stress in this context, using a combination of analyses ranging from genetic variants to personality tests and clinical follow-up. The ultimate goal is that patients engaging with alcohol services can receive personalised and focussed treatment and enhance recovery
To examine whether variation in 'risk-taking' personality and linked genetic variants predicts susceptibility to, and resilience against, stress-induced alcohol misuse.