HOW DO GENES AFFECT ADDICTION?

• Position: HEADS UP: REAL NEWS ABOUT DRUGS AND YOUR BODY

Experts in genetics are discovering how genes can affect a person's risk of becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol. Their studies could help prevent and treat this illness.

Why do some people become addicted to alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs while others do not? That's one important--and complex--question scientists are trying to answer.

Many different factors act upon each other to affect a person's risk for addiction. Environmental factors--such as stress, peer pressure, and the strength of family relationships--play a role. The risk for becoming addicted is also strongly influenced by biological factors, including age and gender.

Scientists now know that another important biological factor is a person's genes--the units of hereditary material that are passed down from parent to child. Researchers are studying the link between genes and addiction to learn how to better prevent and treat this potentially deadly illness.

Genes and Heredity

All of your traits, from your hair color to your eyesight, are influenced by your genes. These segments of DNA contain instructions for making the proteins that are used to build the body's cells. These proteins also direct all of the processes that occur inside your cells.

Genes in the human body can have different forms, called variants. The slight differences between these variants cause individuals to have distinct characteristics, such as blue eyes versus brown. You inherit genes from your parents, which is why family members typically share similar traits.

Scientists have now identified some genes that are linked to addiction. They have found certain gene variants that occur more often in people who are addicted to alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.

This means that a person who has one of these high-risk gene variants is at a greater risk for developing an addiction than someone who doesn't. Because people inherit genes from their parents, individuals who have family members who struggle with addiction may be at a greater risk for addiction. However, genes alone are not a cause of addiction.

Risk Doesn't Equal Addiction

High-risk genes by themselves do not determine whether or not a person wilt develop an addiction. Most people with high-risk genes will not become addicted to alcohol or drugs. Likewise, a person without a genetic risk can still become addicted. Scientists estimate that genetics accounts for roughly half an individual's likelihood of developing an addiction.

Other biological and...