Got Genes?

Can Alcoholism be inherited? Do certain populations such as Native Americans inherit alcoholism through their genes?

As It Strands:

Molecular Biology and what we know about alcoholism.

The molecule from which all our genes are expressed is from the double helix-shaped polymer called DNA. The variety of genes and the sequence in which they are encoded determines the traits an individual has. The genes themselves are decoded by a vast selection of cells in the body for various uses and functions. The resulting decoded gene is a protein. Which

genes (and their proteins) are involved in alcoholism is still largely unknown, although the race to fully map out all the estimated 30,000 genes in the human chromosome is being spearheaded by the Human Genome Project. Until all of the human genome is fully mapped and later analyzed for possible pharmaceutical benefits, scientists can only single out and eliminate genes that are possible candidate(s) for causing alcoholism.

Some of the candidate genes under investigation decode for neurotransmitter receptors on the walls of neurons, regulating how neurons communicate with one another. Other possible alcoholism causing genes include ones that decode for proteins that transmit signals within the cell. How the genes interact with one another and how they contribute to any alcoholic problems are important elements to be investigated. With the Human Genome Project wrapping up in 2003 and once

the purpose of every gene is finally understood, the research involved with finding alcoholism associated genes can finally be

resolved and problems stemming from alcoholism can finally (hopefully) be treated more effectively.

Searching…:

Genetic research shows there’s a 40 to 60 percent chance that alcoholism is caused by a probable multiple genetic vulnerability to alcohol. One of the problems associated with studying populations of any group (including Native Americans) for a specific gene(s) is the great variety among our cultures, demographics, and social behaviors. Geocoding (mapping out tendencies among a population within an area for the purpose of analyzing events where and when they occurred) is one technique that may pay dividends for services like U.S. Bureau of the Census in data retrieval and usage. If one were able to obtain statistics on the genetic variation of a population, then that knowledge could be used to find similarities for the population as a whole, and to study who is at risk.

Another problem with studying any gene is proving that the trait being observed, such as alcoholism, is from the gene under investigation. This problem also occurs in proving that a trait doesn’t come from a particular gene. Geneticists can also run into problems with proving that a trait is genetic or if there are other reasons that can contribute to the resulting trait being observed. Another problem that geneticists run into is that much of their research information comes not from a lab, but from surveys done on a population or families known to have family history of that expressed gene. There are so many genes in our DNA that it’s so hard to isolate one or a few gene(s) involved with the trait. More than likely, there are more than a few genes involved in alcoholism, and instead, geneticists may be looking at 40 or 50 genes which play varying roles contributing towards addiction and the disease (as was found in studies done on rats to determine which strain showed a greater affinity towards alcohol and to isolate any genes shared amongst the alcoholic rats). What we need, pray the legions, is experimental humans (I’m joking here of course).

Moral Problems with identifying Alcoholism as being inherited:

There is potential drawback in identifying alcoholism as a disease that starts at the molecular level in the genes. Alcoholics may use that explanation as an excuse for why they have alcoholism so they can divert the blame somewhere else. Obviously, a person who has a genetic predisposition towards drinking should treat alcohol consumption as an allergic reaction and abstain from its use, rather than embrace it as another excuse. Someone whose family has a history of alcoholism has another reason to never have that first drink.