A National Directory of Drug Treatment Centers and Alcohol Treatment Centers, Therapists and Specialists. A free, simple directory providing assistance and guidance for those seeking help regarding alcohol addiction, drug addiction, dependency and many other conditions that affect the mind, body and soul.
Call
888-647-0579
to speak with an alcohol or drug abuse counselor.
Who Answers?
The Genetics of Alcohol Abuse
DNA plays a role in the amount of alcohol you drink, researchers say.
Among alcohol-dependent (AD) individuals, DNA variations in the brains serotonergic system influence drinking intensity. Specifically the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) contributes to a persons inclination to drink.
Researchers analyzed the associations between 275 AD patients seeking treatment and six variations of SLC6A4. Of the six variations, those who carried two T alleles were found to drink more intensely than those who carried one or two alleles of G.
Serotonin is a neurochemical that carries information between nerve cells in the brain, mediating the rewarding effects of alcohol, Ming D. Li, Ph.D., study author and a Jean and Ronald Butcher Professor at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, was quoted as saying.
Mild alcohol intake increases serotonin release while also signaling the brain regions that monitor alcohol consumption; however, chronic drinking reduces the serotonergic function, causing serotonin levels to deplete. Researchers say the reason alcoholics drink may be to alleviate the serotonin-deficient state.
In this study, researchers found cells carrying the T allele, linked to intense drinking, had lower serotonin levels than cells carrying the G allele.
Experts say this genetic information can by used to develop more personalized approaches to treating alcoholism.
__________
SOURCE: Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, published online November 20, 2008
“Attention deficit hyperactivity disorders” is commonly known as the “ADHD”. This disorder is commonly seen in children and can turn into a chronic mental disorder. Since, this is a mental condition; ADHD largely affects the child’s progress at school and on social front. In a survey, it was found that boys are more prone to….
Sometimes occasional drinking can progress over time into alcohol abuse. It is a serious illness that often requires immediate treatment. Alcohol abuse is a serious problem that can not only cause chronic health issues like liver damage, brain damage, but also can totally change a person’s character is more likely to become thoughtless or violent…..
Scots are drinking themselves to death faster than Ever as the nation’s disturbing booze-binge culture starts to take its toll among thirtysomethings. Hospitals are now being swamped with more than 100 patients needing treatment for alcohol-related conditions Every Day, the frightening new NHS figures show. Liver disease has trebled in the past 15 years. But….
Miller Jordan Jr. never gave up on his only son. The Clarke Central High School assistant principal tried for years to get treatment for Miller Jordan III’s mental illness. But the younger Jordan stabbed his father and grandfather to death Dec. 30 – hours after doctors sent Jordan home from a hospital where he told….
Almost 89% of prisoners with an alcohol problem got no help while behind bars last year, according to figures obtained by The Herald. Despite alcohol being an aggravating factor in more than half of all homicides and much of the violent and anti-social crime which blights Scotland, a tiny proportion of inmates get specialist help….