New research reveals that individuals who have lighter eye color face a higher risk of developing alcohol dependency compared with individuals with darker eye colors, which likely suggests alcoholism is associated with genetics.
In a study published in American Journal of Medical Genetics: Neuropsychiatric Genetics this July, researchers of the University of Vermont, led by Arvis Sulovari and Dawei Li, looked a at data sample that consisted of 1,263 Americans.
Specifically, the team used a large patient database consisting of genetic profiles from people who were diagnosed with at least one form of psychiatric illness, including drug and alcohol dependence and/or addiction.
For the new study, the team filtered the database down to patients who were addicted to or dependent on alcohol and of European ancestry.
When scientists analyzed data several times, taking into account gender, age, and ethnic backgrounds, they arrived at the conclusion that Americans of European ancestry who have light eye colors, such as green and gray, were more likely to become alcohol dependent, compared with people with dark brown eyes.
Moreover, the study, the latest of its kind found that those who have blue eyes had the highest tendency of becoming alcohol dependent.
"This suggests an intriguing possibility: that eye color can be useful in the clinic for alcohol dependence diagnosis," said lead author Sulovari, according to the university's statement on the study.
This study supports previous studies that suggested that eye color could reveal a lot of things about an individual's health.
Sulovari and Li refrained from making any confirmation of the link between alcohol dependency and eye color, but they plan to continue the study.
The team is optimistic about doing more research to support recent findings, which they believe will help develop better prevention and treatment methods for alcoholism and provide a clearer understanding about other psychiatric issues.
