Clinical significance of alcohol intake parameters at initiation of drinking

A considerable effort is now being focused upon the identification in young adulthood of predictive variables that can be used to detect individuals at risk for developing future alcohol problems. One goal is that such individuals may be targeted for early intervention efforts aimed at preventing the development of serious alcohol-related problems. Another goal is to extend the understanding of the etiology of alcoholism by identifying physiological and behavioral mechanisms underlying the addictive process. Reviewed below are efforts focused upon the importance and predictive value of the response to early exposures to ethanol, including alcohol intake variables at onset of drinking.