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Study Links Lower IQ to Increased Alcohol Addiction Risk

10/15/2025

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Summary

Story summary

A JAMA Psychiatry study links lower intelligence in late adolescence to higher risk of alcohol use disorder.
It analyzed data from more than 570,000 Swedish men and cohorts in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia.
Lower IQ scores are associated with a 64% higher risk, while higher cognitive performance is linked to a 35% lower risk, and authors call for diverse research and targeted prevention.

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Story summary

A JAMA Psychiatry study links lower intelligence in late adolescence to higher risk of alcohol use disorder.
It analyzed data from more than 570,000 Swedish men and cohorts in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia.
Lower IQ scores are associated with a 64% higher risk, while higher cognitive performance is linked to a 35% lower risk, and authors call for diverse research and targeted prevention.