Can You Inherit Addiction?
According to research, you can inherit genes that make you more susceptible to becoming addicted. But it’s important to understand that genetics are only one of many factors that may determine if someone develops a substance use disorder. Other factors include environment, childhood trauma, co-occurring mental health disorders, and personality traits.
This Redemption Recovery article explores the connection between substance abuse and genetics.
Where Does Addiction Come From and How is DNA Involved?
For years, people have speculated that there could be a genetic connection between different addictions and compulsive behaviors. Even before Watson and Crick discovered the DNA helix or we knew much about heredity at all, people noticed that addiction sometimes seemed to run in certain families.
Circumstantial evidence of vulnerability to addiction as an inherited trait has never been in short supply. Still, for most of history, we have known very little about how substance use disorders actually manifest or how drugs work in the brain. It wasn’t until the 1970s that scientists discovered the receptor proteins that opioids, cocaine metabolites, and other addictive substances bind to, but we still didn’t have a genetic “smoking gun” for addiction.
Finally, in the 2000s, as work on the Human Genome Project achieved its primary objective, scientists had a blueprint of human DNA for the first time. Researchers looking for a genetic footprint for addiction began to uncover numerous genetic loci for addiction. They found eleven for nicotine, eight for alcohol, and two for other drugs.
What the Latest Addiction Gene Research Tells Us
A new study led by the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that a common genetic signature may increase a person’s risk of becoming addicted, regardless of whether the addiction is to alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, or opioids.
The significance of this discovery is greater than you might imagine at first glance. The research, eventually, could lead to universal therapies to treat multiple substance use disorders and potentially help people diagnosed with more than one addiction.
All substance use disorders have more in common with each other than they have differences. That is one reason why this discovery is so important. It means we have a much better understanding of the addiction gene pattern that is linked to dopamine signaling. Dopamine is the brain’s reward chemical. It’s the main source of the euphoria people feel when they use fentanyl, take amphetamines, or misuse just about any other addictive drug.
The newest addiction gene research:
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- Tells us more about the factors that ALL addictions share.
- May lead to more effective drug treatment programs in the future.
- Can be used to help develop next-generation anti-addiction medications.
- Enhances our understanding of brain addiction mechanisms.
A Timeline of Addiction and Heredity Milestones
For decades, behavioral scientists, therapists, doctors, and laymen have wondered if there was something in our genes that could affect how likely a person was to develop a substance use disorder. But all we had to go on was anecdotal and circumstantial evidence.
For example, we saw the signs in families where alcoholism seemed unusually prevalent through multiple generations. The mapping of the human genome and the renaissance of genetic research it unlocked was the big game changer that finally made it possible to find genes for addiction.
With a complete atlas of human DNA, it was just a matter of time and research to find the answers, and the race was on!
Here’s a brief timeline of genetic research into addiction:
1970s:
Researchers discovered receptor proteins in cells to which addictive substances bind. This was a foundational step in understanding how drugs affect the brain.
1990s:
Hypothesis-driven studies began focusing on candidate genes that might be linked to addiction. These studies aimed to identify specific genes that could predispose individuals to substance use disorders.
2000s:
The advent of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) allowed scientists to analyze large sets of genetic data to identify genetic variants associated with addiction. This approach was more agnostic and hypothesis-generating, leading to the identification of multiple genetic factors.
2011:
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) published “Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction,” highlighting the role of genetics in addiction and emphasizing that addiction is a medical disorder affecting the brain.
2023:
A landmark study led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis revealed shared genetic markers across multiple substance use disorders. This study, involving over 1 million people of different racial backgrounds and genders, identified genetic variations linked to dopamine regulation, a key factor in addiction.
Where Do We Go From Here?
All of this new data and research is great, and has answered important questions, but it begs the question: What do we do with it? How do we use the knowledge of some of the genetic keys to addiction to help people? There are a few answers to that question.
Early Interventions Triggered by Addiction Genes
In the short term, we could use this information to intervene early. Theoretically, children could get a DNA test at, say, age 10. The results of that test would tell them and their families if they had any of the genes for addiction that we have so far identified. If they do, the family would then be armed with some very valuable information they could use to help prevent their child from succumbing to opioid addiction, benzo addiction, or another substance use disorder later in their lives.
Pharmacological Research and Development
New breakthrough medications have already been developed for other disorders and diseases thanks to what we have learned from recent genetic research. It’s very possible that in the future, we will develop new medications that can compensate for or counteract the effects of addiction genes. It will take years of research, but addiction is one of the leading health problems in the United States, and that should make it easier for researchers to get the funding and resources they need.
More Personalized Addiction Treatment
Some have even speculated that knowledge of a person’s specific addiction gene makeup could help us better tailor addiction treatment in partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs for them. Evidence-based addiction treatment programs like Redemption Recovery already do a great deal to tailor treatment planning to meet individual needs, but it’s possible that the information gleaned from a DNA test could one day inform the way we treat substance use disorders.
Redemption Recovery: Where Ohio Goes to Conquer Addiction
We hope you found this article informative and helpful. Be sure to bookmark our blog section to get the latest developments and critical information in the world of addiction recovery in Ohio.
Redemption Recovery offers a no-nonsense, evidence-based addiction treatment program in the heart of Ohio for people ready for a new life.
No matter how far you think you or the one you love has fallen into the pit of addiction—-There’s reason to have hope. All it takes is enough willingness to pick up the phone and talk to us to begin.
One call can change it all.
It’s time for Redemption: (419) 528-8007
Find out what addiction treatment your insurance will cover here.
