Research performed by the University of Virginia Health System and the University of Michigan has recently clarified a link between substance addiction and particular groups of genes.
The research has shown that several genes located on 11 different chromosomes are linked to multiple types of drug addiction, including alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, heroin, nicotine and opioid dependencies. These findings further support previous research which has shown a genetic link between drug abuse and variants in genes such as the aldehyde dehydrogenases, GABRA2, ANKK1, and neurexins 1 and 3. These genes can influence a variety of factors that contribute to drug addiction, mutations in the GABRA2 gene for example has been related to a bluntened response to alcohol, while mutations in the ANKK1 gene have been associated with a higher chance of developing psychopathic traits in patients with alcoholism.
These finding have also suggested mutations in the CHRNA5, CHRNA3 and CHRNB4 gene clusters may become of particular interest in this field as research continues.
ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 1, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2009/03/090310142912.htm
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