Studer J, et al. - Researchers examined if, among Swiss men, an experience of alcohol-induced blackout (AIB) at age 20 is linked with the incidence, maintenance, and severity of alcohol dependence (AD) at age 25. From the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors (C-SURF), they drew Swiss male drinkers (n=5,469, age 20 at baseline) for this prospective cohort study with 5.5 years separating baseline and follow-up. Findings support the significant predictive value of AIB at age 20 for the incidence of AD at age 25 in men without AD at age 20, maintenance of AD in men with AD at age 20 and AD severity.