For decades researchers have been looking for a definitive answer as to the cause of addiction. Some believe the reasons are ‘nature’, in other words the genetic building blocks we are given at birth, others believe the reasons are ‘nurture’, or the social effects connected with our upbringing.
In the 2009 addition of Nature Reviews Genetics, researchers at the University of Virginia and the University of Michigan discuss recent findings on the subject of addiction, and the genetic markers that may cause it. Co-author Ming Li, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and neuro-behavioral sciences at the UVA School of Medicine, states that “Addiction researchers have found that several genes are linked with multiple addictions, so we’re narrowing the scope to specific genetic targets. Once researchers can pinpoint exact genetic variants and molecular mechanisms, then we can create much more effective, even personalised, treatments for individuals addicted to a variety of substances.”
The researchers identified 11 chromosomes where addictions to alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, heroin and nicotine are all located. So does this mean that addictions are purely genetic? More research is needed, and indeed the authors recommend further study which focuses on the key chromosomes they have identified. “The exact nature of the gene variants and how they function are still unknown, so functional studies as well as studies using additional ethnic population samples may be quite revealing.”
As the debate goes on I can’t help but feel that, whatever the definitive findings, genetics alone can’t be ‘responsible’ for addiction. Our life experiences, our ‘nurture’, will have an impact. How convenient would it be for us to say that addiction is purely a result of genetics, and that in affect we are not responsible for our own actions?
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