Studer J, et al. - Researchers designed a prospective cohort study of Swiss male drinkers (n=5,469, age 20 at baseline) from the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors (C-SURF) with 5.5 years separating baseline and follow-up, in order to assess how an experience of alcohol-induced blackout (AIB) at age 20 is associated with the incidence, maintenance, and severity of alcohol dependence at age 25. Findings revealed AIB at age 20 could predict the development, maintenance and severity of alcohol dependence at age 25.