Addiction Genes Nearly Identified

[CodieCW]

HEALTH NEWS BITE
Thursday, May 18, 2006

Genetics plays an important but often underestimated role in addiction and substance abuse. In the latest study to focus on the genetic component of addiction, researchers report that they are closer than ever to identifying the exact genes that make some people more prone to develop opiate addictions. The study, conducted by Yale University School of Medicine researchers, was published in a recent issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics. Researchers used DNA samples from 400 families with histories of addiction to conduct a search for identical chromosome regions. While the current set of findings has been described as only preliminary, researchers say that they have successfully zeroed in on a handful of chromosomes and expect further studies in the near future to bear fruit.