Study finds 'alcohol addiction gene'

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by Change | 9 Dec 2008

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Research has located a gene which could increase the risk of alcohol addiction.

A scientific study has identified a DNA marker which it believes could be a risk indicator for alcohol addiction, a source reveals.

Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences, the research suggests variations on chromosome 15 are connected with the physical effects of drinking.

It finds that while alcohol addiction is caused by a combination of various physical and psychological factors there are strong correlations between the DNA marker and behaviour of this type.

Raymond White, a professor at the University of California at San Diego, claims there are links between this gene and various forms of dependency, including nicotine.

"The findings reported here, combined with the recently published findings of association of the chromosome 15 locus with alcohol dependence, provide further evidence that alcohol low response is a hereditary characteristic of alcohol use disorders," he states.

Last month, a study conducted by the Central Institute of Mental Health found those engaging in cocaine abuse were 50 per cent more likely to share the same variation of gene CAMK4 than those who did not.

Rainer Spanagel, the professor of psychopharmacology at the site, claims this could be a genetic factor in this form of substance addiction.

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