Please respond: Discussion Board Responses: Incorporate references and citations as appropriate (but not required) with in a one-page maximum response.
Genetic susceptibility to addiction is one of the genetic concepts covered in Chapter 2 of The Effects of Drug Abuse on the Human Nervous System. The chapter discusses how genetic variations may determine a person’s propensity to develop substance abuse issues. This includes genes that affect neurotransmitter systems, which are crucial to brain reward pathways. Examples of these systems include dopamine signaling genes. These genetic variations may alter brain toxicity, drug metabolism, and susceptibility to habit-forming behaviors. Family studies are important for identifying genetic vulnerability for drug abuse; for example, studies that have investigated generational differences in the transmission of drug abuse revealed that drug use or abuse is elevated among siblings of drug abusers and that there is a direct relationship between parental drug use or abuse and offspring use or abuse (Merikangas, Rounsaville 1992).
The NCBI guide Chapter on etiology has a great introduction which stretches past what’s mentioned in chapter four of “The Effects of Drug Abuse on the Human Nervous System” to help with comprehending the etiology of substance use disorders (SuDs). The textbook examines the neurobiological addiction mechanisms, emphasizing the neurotransmitter, the brain structures, and the drugs ‘results on the CNS. It provides comprehensive studies of exactly how stimulants, opioids, along with alcohol alter brain chemistry to trigger addiction and dependency. The NCBI goes on by including information on the etiology’s genetic, environmental, and developmental components. It draws attention to the ways in which these variables interact and explains how environmental issues (stress, peer pressure, and drug accessibility) combined with genetic predispositions can increase the risk of SUD. The essay article also discusses the role of epigenetics, which examines how environmental influences may affect gene expression and potentially alter the likelihood of addiction across generations.
Furthermore, the NCBI article addresses specific genetic variants, such as polymorphisms in dopamine regulator genes, that are linked to susceptibility to SUD. It also looks into the heritability of addiction using twin and family studies to demonstrate the genetic component of the etiology of SUD.
In conclusion, although the textbook provides a solid foundation in the neurobiology of substance use, the NCBI chapter adds to that understanding by combining an etiological perspective on development, genetics, and environment to paint a more comprehensive picture of what causes SUDs.
References
Bertha Madras, Michael Kuhar 2013. The Effects of Drug Abuse on the Human Nervous System
Merikangas KR, Rounsaville BJ, Prusoff BA. 1992. Familial Factors in Vulnerability to Substance Abuse
