Hyde Healy
Alcoholism, also known as alcohol addiction or alcohol dependence, is one of the most dangerous and life-changing diseases in the world. Known as a chronic disease characterized by uncontrolled drinking and preoccupation with alcohol, alcoholism affects approximately 15 million people in the United States alone. While some social and environmental factors contribute to the development of alcoholism, a significant factor in increasing someone’s predisposition toward the disorder is genetics, with scientists indicating there may be up to 51 genes possessing variations that can impact the trait. (5) For example, one study of Japanese males show that individuals possessing a specific variation of rs1076560—located in the dopamine receptor D2 gene—were 1.3 times more likely to be affected by alcoholism. (6)
While no widely-used genetic test for alcoholism exists, many gene variations that can lead to alcoholism have been identified. In particular, scientists at Indiana University identified a panel of eleven genes that can help predict if an individual is at an increased risk for alcoholism. (4) Given this information, I recommend that people who believe they may be at risk for alcoholism should take a SNP chip or SNP array test to identify these genetic variations. The test costs about $278, and interested individuals can use the internet to hire companies such as Ambry Genetics to perform the test for them. Individuals may want this information so they can decide to be cautionary with their use of alcohol or abstain from using alcohol all together. However, since genetics only plays about 50% of a role in causing alcoholism (with the other half being social and environmental factors), a genetic test would only be somewhat accurate in its determination of risk of alcoholism. An Emory University epidemiologist even said the results of the Indiana Study in predicting alcohol problems are about as accurate as flipping a coin. (3)
While getting such a test done can give an individual a better idea of whether or not they are at an increased risk for alcoholism, they must realize that this test is not completely accurate and a host of non-genetic factors also contribute to being affected by this disease. Environmental risk factors such as family of origin, lifestyle choices, and incidence of stressful events play a role. Also, psychological factors like the presence of depression and other mental illnesses can play a large part in causing alcoholism as well. Even dismissing the myriad of other elements, genetic testing for addiction and alcohol abuse still are not very accurate due to scientific ignorance. In 2012 researchers concluded that, “more than 95 percent of the genetic variance remains unaccounted for, indicating that most of the genetic risk factors for addiction have not been discovered yet.” (5)
There are both positive and negative implications if one tests positive for alcoholism-related genetic variations. For instance, if someone tests positive, and they have not used or frequently used alcohol they can stop using it altogether to prevent the development of a serious problem. Additionally, if someone believes they may have a problem with alcohol abuse, getting a test done may be the confirmation they need to start seeking help. On the other hand, positive test results can have negative implications like causing a person to be unnecessarily fearful or hesitant to use alcohol even when the risk of developing alcoholism is very low. The most significant negative consequence, however, is that a positive test result may lead the patient to have more negative thoughts and therefore a greater desire to drink. This was found to be the case in a study conducted by researchers at the University of Sydney. (1)
While parents can definitely pass down genes resulting in alcoholic tendencies down to their children, the chances of this happening are difficult to calculate. This due to the fact that with some diseases only a few key genes are needed to be at an increased risk, but with alcoholism hundreds of genes in different combinations can cause an increased risk. Therefore, determining which genes the parent or parents would pass down to the child is difficult. With that being said, studies have shown that children with one or more alcoholic parents are approximately 4-8 times more likely to develop alcoholism than children without alcoholic parents. (2) But, again, since alcohol dependency is caused by both genetic and environmental factors, these statistics don’t definitively mean the risk of disease was passed down genetically from parent to child. If someone does test positive for the genetic variation associated with this disease, they should consider exercise and a healthy diet to maintain good mental health as well as abstain from alcohol and drugs or only use these substances in moderation.
If someone has a history of alcoholism or mental illness in their family, they should consider taking a SNP chip or SNP array test to see if they may possess genetic variations that can increase their risk of developing alcoholism. However, they should know that the results of the test may not be completely accurate and that a host of other factors can contribute to alcoholism. If someone believes they may be at an increased risk for this disorder, they should use alcohol with caution or not at all and maintain good mental health through exercise and a supportive network of friends and family. If someone believes they already have developed alcoholism, they should consider going to their nearest AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meeting place or call the SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
Works Cited
- “Home Genetic Testing for Alcoholism Carries Perils | CBC News.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 11 Sept. 2012, www.cbc.ca/news/health/home-genetic-testing-for-alcoholism-carries-perils-1.1293265.
2) Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Prevention of Mental Disorders. “Risk and Protective Factors for the Onset of Mental Disorders.” Reducing Risks for Mental Disorders: Frontiers for Preventive Intervention Research., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Jan. 1994, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK236306/.
3) Janssens, Cecile. “Researchers Promise New Genetic Test for Alcoholism for Which They Found No Scientific Evidence.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 23 July 2014, www.huffpost.com/entry/researchers-promise-new-g_b_5371655.
4) “Panel of 11 Genes Predicts Alcoholism Risk, Gives New Insights into Biology of the Disease.” Newsroom, IU School of Medicine, 20 May 2014, https://medicine.iu.edu/news/2014/05/genes-predict-alcoholism-1/
5) Parkinson, Robert. “Genetic Testing for Addiction: 5 Things to Know.” U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News & World Report, 14 June 2017, https://health.usnews.com/health-care/for-better/articles/2017-06-14/genetic-testing-for-addiction-5-things-to-know
6) “rs1076560.” SNPedia, www.snpedia.com/index.php/Rs1076560.