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Coupling Genetic Addiction Risk Score (GARS) with Electrotherapy: Fighting Iatrogenic Opioid Dependence

Kenneth Blum1, Marlene Oscar-Berman2, Nicholas Dinubile3

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA ; Department of Holistic Medicine, National Institute for Holistic Addiction STudies, Inc. North Miami Beach, Fl, USA ; Department of Clinical Neurology, PATH Foundation NY, New York, NY, USA ; Center for Genomics and Applied Gene Technology, Institute of Integrative Omics and Applied Biotechnology (IIOAB), Nonakuri, Purbe Medinpur, West Bengal, India ; Dominion Diagnostics, LLC., North Kingstown, Rhode Island, USA ; Department of Addiction Research & Therapy, Malibu Beach Recovery Center, Malibu Beach California, USA ; Department of Nutrigenomics, IGENE LLC., Austin Texas, USA.

Journal of Addiction Research & Therapy
|March 12, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Legal opioid prescription drug abuse is a global concern. Strategies to combat this include targeting high-risk users, genetic testing for addiction, and non-pharmacological pain relief methods.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Iatrogenic opioid prescription drug abuse is a significant global health issue.
  • Understanding pain neurophysiology and dopaminergic pathways is crucial for developing therapeutic solutions.
  • Substance Use Disorder (SUD) has a substantial genetic component, estimated at 60%.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose alternative strategies for preventing opioid overdose deaths and reducing prescription drug abuse.
  • To identify key targets for intervention in combating the opioid endemic.

Main Methods:

  • Reviewing existing data on prescription drug abuse prevalence and genetic contributions.
  • Proposing targeted strategies for prevention and intervention.
  • Exploring non-pharmacological analgesic treatments.

Main Results:

  • A significant portion of the population (8.7% of US adults >12 years) has used psychoactive drugs.
  • Genetic factors play a major role in SUD, though individual gene effects are small.
  • Multiple strategies are needed to address the multifaceted nature of opioid abuse.

Conclusions:

  • Effective prevention of opioid overdose and prescription abuse requires a multi-pronged approach.
  • Targeting high-dosage users, individuals seeking multiple prescribers, and those involved in drug diversion is essential.
  • Integrating genetic testing and non-pharmacological treatments offers promising avenues for combating the opioid endemic.
Keywords:
AnalgesiaDopamineElectrotherapyGenetic addiction risk scorePainSubstance use disorder (SUD)

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