Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2026
07:28
An Inexpensive, Scalable Behavioral Assay for Measuring Ethanol Sedation Sensitivity and Rapid Tolerance in Drosophila
Published on: April 15, 2015
The genetics of alcoholism
David Stacey1, Toni-Kim Clarke, Gunter Schumann
1MRC Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, P. O. Box 80, London SE58AF, England.
Current Psychiatry Reports
|September 30, 2009
Summary
Genetic factors significantly influence alcoholism risk, with research focusing on stress response and reward systems. Advances in understanding these genetic links promise more effective, personalized treatments for alcohol use disorder.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Alcoholism has a significant heritability (50-60%), indicating a strong genetic component.
- Understanding genetic and environmental interactions is crucial for explaining alcoholism etiology.
- Translational research is vital for bridging animal model findings to human applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in genetic research on alcoholism.
- To highlight the role of specific neurobiological systems in alcohol use disorder.
- To explore the potential for pharmacogenetic approaches in alcoholism treatment.
Main Methods:
- Review of genetic studies focusing on corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), glutamatergic, and opioidergic systems.
- Examination of gene-environment interactions, specifically CRF1 receptor gene variations.
- Analysis of pharmacogenetic studies investigating naltrexone efficacy and mu-opioid receptor genotypes.
Main Results:
- CRF1 receptor gene variations moderate stress-induced alcohol drinking in both animals and humans.
- Hyperglutamatergic states during alcohol withdrawal correlate with negative affective states in alcoholics.
- Naltrexone efficacy shows differential responses based on mu-opioid receptor genotype.
Conclusions:
- Genetic research, particularly on CRF, glutamatergic, and opioidergic systems, is advancing our understanding of alcoholism.
- Gene-environment interactions play a key role in alcohol consumption.
- Pharmacogenetic findings offer promise for developing targeted and effective future treatments for alcoholism.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Human Genetics
Human genetics provides a profound framework for understanding the interplay between genetic predispositions and human psychology. At the heart of this discipline lies the study of how genes influence physical traits, behaviors, and susceptibility to diseases. Each person carries a unique genetic code that subtly or significantly shapes their psychological and behavioral landscape.
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
01:23Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs
Behavior genetics explores how genetic inheritance influences human behavior. It focuses on how genes, passed from parents to offspring, contribute to the development of behavioral traits and tendencies. This branch of genetics seeks to understand the complex interplay between inherited genetic factors and environmental influences in shaping our behaviors.
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
01:11Genetic Lingo
Overview
01:25Inheritance
Gregor Mendel's pioneering work on the principles of inheritance fundamentally transformed our understanding of how traits are transmitted from generation to generation. His experiments with pea plants laid the groundwork for the discovery of genes, discrete units within organisms that control heredity.
Each gene exists in pairs, and the combination of these genes from both parents forms an individual's genotype. This genotype is a blueprint of potential traits. Examples of genotype traits...
Each gene exists in pairs, and the combination of these genes from both parents forms an individual's genotype. This genotype is a blueprint of potential traits. Examples of genotype traits...
01:43Incomplete Dominance
Gregor Mendel's work (1822 - 1884) was primarily focused on pea plants. Through his initial experiments, he determined that every gene in a diploid cell has two variants called alleles inherited from each parent. He suggested that amongst these two alleles, one allele is dominant in character and the other recessive. The combination of alleles determines the phenotype of a gene in an organism.
01:29Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu
Genetic variations significantly influence drug response through pharmacokinetics, receptor interactions, and biologic milieu modifications. Pharmacokinetic alterations impact drug metabolism and clearance, affecting efficacy and toxicity. Variants in drug-metabolizing enzymes, such as CYP2C9 and CYP2C19, alter drug activation and elimination. For example, CYP2C9 loss-of-function variants require lower warfarin doses to prevent excessive bleeding, while CYP2C19 variants reduce clopidogrel...