Seeking The Connection: Alcoholism And Our Genes

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Summary:

Scientists, for quite some time, have been trying to relate alcoholism to genetics. The tendency of becoming dependent of alcohol has been monitored over the years, and has been known to run in families. That piece of information have led scientists to suggest that the gene for alcoholism is passed down from generation to generation. With the technology that we have today, researchers are easily able to get to the biological roots of complex disorders such as alcoholism. This technology enables investigators to find specific genes that have strong influences on the person's body, and the possible risk of disease.

Alcoholism doesn't have just one single cause, but not all are genetic either. Genes have a very large role, but also a person's life experiences hold some responsibility of the disease of alcoholism. However, finding and understanding the genes involved in the body's response to alcohol may lead to finding the effects of other disorders as well.

One important strategy to search for the genes that cause the risk of alcohol dependence is by looking at and examining the endophenotypes, which are physical traits. These traits, or phenotypes, are not externally visible but can be measured and then can be studied to find certain patterns that may cause risks. Upon using this strategy, research groups have found that certain chromosomal regions and genes likely cause a major reason in the risk of alcoholism.


Researchers have also found that some genes that encode docking sites for the protein GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), which carries signals from one nerve cell to another, increase the vulnerability to alcoholism. GABA proteins are involved in behavioral undercontrol or impulsivity, which is what causes many phychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder, substance abuse and chronic conduct problems. Studies prove that GABA activity and alcohol dependence is a very high possibility, because impulsivity is a main feature of many alcohol dependence cases.


Unfortunately not all can be determined by genes. Only about half of the risk of alcoholism is heritable, therefore the other half must come from someplace else. Many believe that the other half come from the environment and making poor choices in the past.

One genetic testing that is providing opportunities for self-assessment is called Microarrays. These Microarrays, or gene chips, can be used to detect a person's variations in gene activity, and can produce a series of medical, psychiatric and behavioral recommendations. With this type of genetic technology, scientists hope for figure out the complete reason of alcoholism.


Response:



This article was very reassuring to me. It showed me in many different ways how people and technology are taking steps to achieve a goal that many have been in pursuit of for a very long time. It just shows that the type of technology that we have access to today is truly amazing, and that genetic programs and technology can be a very big different maker in many years to come.