Genes associated with addiction: alcoholism, opiate, and cocaine addiction.
Drug addiction is a complex disorder that has a large spectrum of causes. Vulnerability to addiction has been shown in twin studies to have a robust genetic component. This genetic basis for addiction has general and specific components for each drug abused. Although many genes have been implicated in drug addiction, only a handful have either been replicated to have an association or to have an identified functional mechanism related to specific effects of abused drugs. A few selected genetic variants that currently look promising for the study of alcohol, opiate, and cocaine addiction are discussed in this article.
Kreek
Mary Jeanne
MJ
Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA. kreek@rockefeller.edu
Nielsen
David A
DA
LaForge
K Steven
KS
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology