Editorial: Is early onset of alcohol use associated with later alcohol use?

Abstract

Research in the neuroscience and epidemiology of alcohol use disorders (AUD) has significantly contributed to our understanding of why individuals use alcohol and why a significant fraction transitions to risky alcohol use or develop an AUD (Harris and Koob, 2017). Yet research efforts are still unraveling important scientific questions. One of those lingering, unanswered questions is the role that an early age of alcohol onset has on the probability of later engaging in risky drinking and/or developing an AUD.