The role of genetics in neonatal abstinence syndrome
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2025

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Sarah Vernovsky1, Ana Herning2, Elisha M Wachman3
1Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States.
Abstract:
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) after in-utero exposure to opioids remains a significant public health concern. NAS is a highly variable condition in which presentation and severity cannot be explained by clinical factors alone. Research in human subjects has identified both genetic and epigenetic associations with prenatal opioid exposure and NAS severity, including single nucleotide polymorphisms, DNA methylation differences, and gene expression modifications. Animal studies have also identified key gene pathways that are likely important contributors to NAS phenotype. The clinical significance of identified genetic associations with NAS are unclear and warrant further study to see how they could impact NAS management.
More Related Videos
15:27Construction of Vapor Chambers Used to Expose Mice to Alcohol During the Equivalent of all Three Trimesters of Human Development
Published on: July 13, 2014
09:29Investigating Drivers of Antireward in Addiction Behavior with Anatomically Specific Single-Cell Gene Expression Methods
Published on: August 4, 2022
Related Concept Videos
Human Genetics
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...
Incomplete Dominance
Teratogenicity