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
Nearly half of students at four-year colleges do it regularly (and, it’s not sex). Rather, it’s binge drinking — downing five or more alcoholic drinks at a sitting. “People have a hard time identifying alcohol as a drug,” said Jenny Hwang, associate dean of students and director of the counseling center at Stony Brook University….
Since the early 1970s, the War on Drugs has officially cost American taxpayers more than a trillion dollars! It is estimated that as many as two percent of the entire United States population is in prison and many of them are service sentences for drug related offenses. Still thousands more have died as a result….
When you choose your doctor you take your time, do research and try to choose the best doctor you can for your individual needs—the same should be true when you choose a drug treatment center. Choosing the best drug treatment center should be more than just opening the phone book and setting an appointment with….
In the most tragic way possible, the December alcohol-poisoning death of Foothill High School student Shelby Lyn Allen fostered intense local discussion of underage drinking and its consequences. And on Tuesday, in a move they argue would prevent another such senseless death, advocates will ask the Shasta County Board of Supervisors to pass a “Social….
“Drugs” is not a respected word in our dictionary. Scientifically, drugs are small fine substances that are very effective in modifying the normal regular functions of a body. The different types of drugs are identified in three basic categories namely “depressants”, “stimulants” and “hallucinogens”. Drugs are widely used by doctors and hospitals, in required proportions….
