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Kim Starrett
-Addiction genetics-
Addiction # 1) Alcoholism
1. Alcohol affects brain chemistry by altering the levels of neurotransmitters. Alcohol increases the
effects of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA in the brain. GABA causes the sluggish
movements and slurred speech that often occur in alcoholics. At the same time, alcohol inhibits
the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. Suppressing this stimulant results in a similar type of
physiological slowdown. In addition to increasing the GABA and decreasing the glutamate in the
brain, alcohol increases the amount of the chemical dopamine, which creates the feeling of
pleasure that occurs when someone takes a drink.
2. The chromosomes the contain genes links to addiction for alcohol are chromosomes number 2,
4, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 13.
3. Ethyl alcohol is found in many drinking beverages. It’s a depressant, which temporarily makes
people calm and drowsy. Alcohol causes loss of coordination, reasoning, speech, reaction, and
judgment.
4. In the future, identifying which mu-opioid receptor gene variant a patient possesses may help
predict the most effective choice of medication for alcohol addiction.
5. GABA (inhibitory neurotransmitters) is active throughout the brain. These neurotransmitters act
to control neural activity along the brain pathways. Meanwhile in another part of the brain,
another neurotransmitter called glutamate acts as the brains general purpose excitatory
neurotransmitters. As alcohol enters the brain, it delivers a double sedative punch. First it
interacts with GABA receptors making them inhibitory, and then it binds with glutamine
receptors, preventing glutamine from exciting the cell. Alcohol affects areas of the brain
involving memory formation, decision making and impulse control.
6. According to the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an estimated 10.3
million people aged 12 or older were reported under the influence of some kind of drug.
Addiction # 2) Tobacco
1. Upon entering the bloodstream, nicotine immediately stimulates the adrenal glands to release
adrenaline. Epinephrine stimulates the central nervous system and increases blood pressure,
respiration, and heart rate.
2. The chromosomes the contain genes links to addiction for tobacco are chromosomes number 2,
3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, and 17.
3. Tobacco is smoked though a pipe and is packed in a small can, otherwise known as spit tobacco.
It is often called dipping.
4. Tobacco is mostly made of nicotine. Nicotine is absorbed from the respiratory tract, and through
mouth tissue and skin.
5. Every day 3000 young people become regular smokers. Every day 6000 teens under 18 smoke
their first cigarette. Every day more than 1000 adults die prematurely as a result of an
adolescent decision.
Addiction # 3) Cocaine
1. People who take Ritalin are more at risk for cocaine addiction because Ritalin and cocaine are
similar drugs.
2. Cocaine blocks the dopamine transmitters, so they gather up in the reward pathway of the
brain, which causes people to be fidgety.
3. The chromosomes the contain genes links to addiction for cocaine are chromosomes number 9
and 10.
4. Cocaine is a powdered drug that is derived from the leaves of the coca plant in South America.
Cocaine is snorted, injected and/or smoked. Cocaine causes a short-lived, intense high that is
immediately followed by the opposite—intense depression, edginess and a craving for more of
the drug. People who use it often don’t eat or sleep properly. They can experience greatly
increased heart rate, muscle spasms and convulsions. The drug can make people feel paranoid,
angry, hostile and anxious; even when they aren’t high!
5. The National Institute on Drug Abuse describes the latest research findings on treatment for
cocaine.
6. Adults aged 18 to 25 years have a higher rate of current cocaine use than any other age group.
Pedigree Investigator
I learned that affected children have at least one affected parent, and multiple children
(from the same family) are affected.