This article states that scientists at the University of Texas have identified a network of genes that work together in determining alcohol dependence. These findings could lead to future treatments for alcoholics and allow doctors to screen for alcoholism.
Even though genetics play a role in alcoholism and addiction, the tendency for dependence to be genetically linked is more complicated than the presence or absence of any one gene. However, this study is the first time that scientists were able to use RNA sequencing to identify a specific group of genes that, expressed together, are highly correlated with alcohol dependence.
The identification of genetic factors and networks in the brains of alcoholics gives drug researchers more information to work from and may one day allow for better screenings to evaluate a person's risk for alcohol dependence, even before the onset of heavy drinking.
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