Addiction and Genetics
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Addiction and genetics
Brenda Tanguma
Com156
21 June 2014
Billie Jo Dunaway
Addiction and genetics
A study of identical twins revealed that at least half of a person’s risk of becoming addicted to drugs, or alcohol depends on their genetic make-up. (NIDA, 2008) Genes can also influence how a person reacts to the environment which leaves some at higher risk than others when it comes to addiction. It seems that there are several opinions and research about the subject regarding genes and addiction, and they continue to be researched a lot. While addiction is connected to the mind, there is a question as to whether or not genetics play an important role in its cause.
Genes are functional units that make up our DNA. Research done on human genome shows that the DNA sequence of any two people are 99.9% identical and .1% variation is profoundly important contributor to visible and invisible differences. (NIDA, 2008) These differences are things like hair color, height, and eye color, or invisible differences like increased risk for heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, and even addiction. Diseases like sickle cell or cystic fibrosis are the result of an error in a single gene. However, most diseases, including addiction, are more complicated and variations of different genes contribute to an individual’s risk or resistance.
One gene that seemed interesting was the COMT gene or catechol-o-methyltansferase, it produces the enzyme that regulates dopamine. COMT has 2 forms “met” and “val”. People with two copies of the “val” variant have a higher risk of developing symptoms of psychosis and schizophrenic type disorders if cannabis is used during adolescence. (NIDA, 2008) COMT helps
Addiction and Genetics
to break down certain chemical messengers, or neurotransmitters. These chemicals send signals from one nerve cell to another. It is most important in the prefrontal cortex, the organizer and coordinator of information from other parts of the brain....
Brenda Tanguma
Com156
21 June 2014
Billie Jo Dunaway
Addiction and genetics
A study of identical twins revealed that at least half of a person’s risk of becoming addicted to drugs, or alcohol depends on their genetic make-up. (NIDA, 2008) Genes can also influence how a person reacts to the environment which leaves some at higher risk than others when it comes to addiction. It seems that there are several opinions and research about the subject regarding genes and addiction, and they continue to be researched a lot. While addiction is connected to the mind, there is a question as to whether or not genetics play an important role in its cause.
Genes are functional units that make up our DNA. Research done on human genome shows that the DNA sequence of any two people are 99.9% identical and .1% variation is profoundly important contributor to visible and invisible differences. (NIDA, 2008) These differences are things like hair color, height, and eye color, or invisible differences like increased risk for heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, and even addiction. Diseases like sickle cell or cystic fibrosis are the result of an error in a single gene. However, most diseases, including addiction, are more complicated and variations of different genes contribute to an individual’s risk or resistance.
One gene that seemed interesting was the COMT gene or catechol-o-methyltansferase, it produces the enzyme that regulates dopamine. COMT has 2 forms “met” and “val”. People with two copies of the “val” variant have a higher risk of developing symptoms of psychosis and schizophrenic type disorders if cannabis is used during adolescence. (NIDA, 2008) COMT helps
Addiction and Genetics
to break down certain chemical messengers, or neurotransmitters. These chemicals send signals from one nerve cell to another. It is most important in the prefrontal cortex, the organizer and coordinator of information from other parts of the brain....