Recent Research has identified the RASGRF-2 gene as possibly the new culprit for the significant problem of binge drinking in American society. Researchers from King's College London Institute of Psychiatry initially discovered the correlation between the gene and alcohol abuse, while now the
Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences illustrated how this gene specifically affects alcoholics.
The gene works by exerting an excessive amount of dopamine into the body upon consumption of alcohol in contrast to an individual who does not have this gene.
Dopamine is the chemical neurotransmitter responsible for reward and pleasurable feelings in situations such as sex, casual consumption of cocaine, and alcohol inebriation.
Lead author in the study, Gunter Schumann, stated "So, if people have a genetic variation of RASGRF-2 gene, alcohol gives them a stronger sense of reward, making them more likely to be heavy drinkers." The credence to this study alone can be exemplified by the statistic that approximately one out of six people in the United States has a drinking problem, with varying degrees of severity. Therefore, it is likely that genetics, specifically the RASGRF-2 gene, has something to do with this problem.
Main Article:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/gene-variation-may-make-a-person-more-likely-to-binge-drink/
More Information:
http://www.pnas.org/content/109/51/21128.abstract
I think it is great the researchers are investigating genes that may influence binge drinking, alcohol abuse, and even possibly alcoholism. This research can finally let the word know if genetics truly does have an influence on your likelihood of becoming an alcoholic if there is a history of alcoholism in your family. I have a history of alcoholism in my family and if I could find out if any of my family has the RASGRF-2 gene, I would then know that I could be at a higher risk of developing a drinking problem in the future.
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