Genetic Testing- Alcoholism, by David Wang

What is alcoholism

Alcohol dependence, also known as alcoholism, is a form of alcohol addiction where the individual has a physical dependence on the consumption of alcohol. This physical dependence causes individuals to consume more alcohol than individuals who do not have a dependence on alcohol, which further increases the health risks of alcohol. Some of these risks include high blood pressure, stroke, and liver cancer. Furthermore, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH), individuals with alcoholism are more vulnerable to diseases such as tuberculosis and pneumonia. This is because alcohol can weaken the immune system. Every year, over 3.3 million individuals die worldwide due to alcoholism. This is the third highest cause of preventable deaths, behind smoking and overeating. In addition, according to data from 2009, approximately 3.5% of cancer deaths in the United States was caused by alcohol.

According to SNPedia, there are six known SNPs that affect the likelihood that an individual will suffer from alcoholism. One example of these SNPs is rs1799971, where the rs1799971 (G) variant increases one’s cravings for alcohol compared to the normal allele, rs1799971 (A) for both carriers and individuals with two G alleles. However, for individuals with the G variant, they respond to naltrexone treatment better than those with the A variant.

Testing for alcoholism

Some individuals may experience more severe symptoms as a result of alcoholism, such as seizures and increased risk for ADHD. For those who are concerned about such symptoms, they should take a genetic test to see if they have an increased likelihood of suffering from such symptoms. Because there are two SNPs, rs27048 and rs27072, that are associated with such severe symptoms, an SNP test, which does not need to be a whole sequencing test, will produce the best results at the lowest costs, such as a $199 23andme test. However, if anyone is interested in whether he or she has an increased risk of alcoholism in general, a $599 Veritas test works best. However, a test specifically for rs1076560 (A), which is the most common allele that increases the risk of alcoholism, also works well. Carriers of this allele are 30% more at risk of becoming an alcoholic compared to individuals who have two rs1076560 (C) alleles. The tests will satisfy the needs of those who are interested in such information, as there is enough evidence to conclude that an increased risk of alcoholism has correlations with genetics. Despite the evidence, however, having an allele that increases the risk for alcoholism does not guarantee that one will become an alcoholic, nor does it guarantee that one will develop the more severe symptoms, such as ADHD, as the risks of having certain alleles are probability-based, rather than a guarantee. For instance, while data shows that a carrier of the rs1076560 (A) allele is 30% more likely to become an alcoholic, this does not mean that he or she will be an alcoholic automatically because he or she drank one sip of beer. Furthermore, there are some contradictory studies against the idea that rs1799971 has anything to do with alcoholism.

Ethical Concerns

According to the National Institutes of Health, the majority of participants in a study regarding the effects of genetics on alcoholism were more concerned about discrimination from their physician (approximately 40%), rather than their family and friends (approx. 29%). Therefore, if participants are considering such a test, then they should evaluate whether they would feel comfortable around their physician after taking such a test.

Testing Positive

If someone tests positive in regards to any of the alleles that increase the risk of alcoholism, then his or her has a likelihood of inheriting this risk, as these alleles are hereditary. In order to better manage this risk, he or she can contact the Addiction Center for advice. Rehabilitation treatment from the Addiction Center is not necessary, unless he or she already has an alcohol addiction. However, if anyone tests positive, then he or she should not be forbidden to drink as long as he or she follows the rules that pertain to drinking, such as not drinking until 21 and avoiding the behavior of drunk driving. Heavier self-restraint, however, is advised, and abstinence is recommended. If an individual has a rs1799971 (G) allele and is suffering from alcoholism, then he or she should consult a doctor because individuals with this allele, despite having an increased risk of alcoholism, respond better to naltrexone treatment than normal individuals do.

Sources

Scott, D. M. et al. (2014, August). Genetic testing for the susceptibility to alcohol dependence: interest and concerns in an African American population. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4120651/

23andMe. (2019, October 4). The Genetics of Alcoholism. Retrieved from https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/the-genetics-of-alcoholism/

Alcoholism. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Alcoholism

rs1799971. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Rs1799971

rs1076560. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Rs1076560

rs27072. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Rs27072

rs27048. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.snpedia.com/index.php/Rs27048

Alcohol’s Effects on the Body. (2019, June 6). Retrieved from https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-body.

Project Reflections- David Wang

On Saturday, from 2:00 to 4:00, I went with Nate, Richard, Stephen, and Will to promote awareness about waste and sustainability for our Tailgating Service Project. We traveled across various areas in the campus, including Myers Quad and the Physics building, to educate tailgaters about recycling and gave them pins, informational cards, and trash bags to help promote their incentive to clean up after themselves. We switched around when we walked up to tailgaters in regards to promoting awareness about recycling and sustainability. Because it was a game day, we were all also expected to promote school spirit, such as by saying “go dawgs.”

I was very pleased in regards to the experience. The tailgaters were very friendly, and they were all interested in regards to the messages that we had to say. Before the experience, we all realized that we needed to give a speech to tailgaters about sustainability, but we were all somewhat anxious about giving such a speech, as nearly all the tailgaters were strangers to us. However, their friendliness helped us better give such a speech, which helped us spread the message about sustainability.

The experience helped me better understand the knowledge that some tailgaters are unaware of in regards to recycling and the sustainability incentives that the campus itself has, such as how UGA has various cardboard boxes around the campus so that tailgaters can easily dispose of their waste. After the experience, I was able to better build up my social abilities as a result of traveling around the various tailgates. Before the experience, I thought that spreading a message could ruin the tailgating experience for others. However, after the experience, I realized that this is not the case.

As a result of this experience, I will use the knowledge about recycling and sustainability for future events to encourage others to clean up after themselves. I understood the importance of recycling, but after the experience, I learned more about the items that can or cannot be recycled. In the future, with the knowledge that I have gained about goods that can or cannot be recycled, I will ensure that I properly dispose of trash in order to promote sustainability as a whole.

Climate Simulation- David Wang

When I played my role in the policy exercise, I felt that negotiations were extremely difficult. As the exercise went on, my views in regards to meeting the temperature goals became more radical. The fiscal and climate goals felt extremely difficult to reach, as all the countries also needed to satisfy their own needs, which made compromise extremely difficult. This caused me to believe that every country needed to compromise a lot more of their resources in regards to fighting climate change. Our group, which represented India, did not change our stance much because India itself does not contribute much to the rising carbon emissions. Initially, our group demanded for money in regards to fighting climate change, rather than contributing, because India is a poor country. However, we elected to not change this stance due to the lack of demand from other countries in regards to changing this stance. In the end, I believe that emissions can be cut. However, there are major costs and barriers that need to be overcome. Assuming the simulation matches exactly like the real negotiations, the high costs demanded by developing countries need to be overcome. The best way is through technological innovation, in which better access to more advanced technology will help increase efficiency and reduce costs. Furthermore, the US and China economic war needs to be overcome. Because the US and China contribute heavily to climate change, most notably China, negotiations are mandatory. Compromise is necessary. However, such discussions may be extremely difficult. In order to catalyze change in the US, everyone needs to encourage entrepreneurs with business ideas that combat climate change to step forth. This type of encouragement is most likely to meet bipartisan support from the government, as environmentally friendly businesses help the climate while bolstering the economy. Currently, there are many successful and creative inventions from such businesses that are combating climate change, such as carbon capture plants and solar panels.

Watershed Reflection- David Wang

In this picture, I see a storm drain with the number 229 next to it. I notice a “no dumping” sign, which struck me because the sign made me wonder where the water that the storm drain catches goes to. As a result, this picture makes me think about the watershed that the captured water ends up at, and whether dumping any sort of water would harm the watershed and the environment in some sort of way. This makes me think that others would also interpret the “no dumping” sign as a measure to protect the designated watershed. Overall, this picture makes me feel curious about the impact of all the storm drains on the environment, and I think this storm drain picture is about the impact of man-made structures on watersheds.

Introductory Blog Post- David Wang