Although environment plays a major part in addiction — you can’t get hooked on something you’ve never tried — genetics plays a substantial role in determining whether a person who does use a drug will become addicted to it.
A few DNA variations have been identified that seem to increase the odds a person will become [...]

Tags: addiction, alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, nicotine, opiates, PKNOX2, PNAS, substance dependence

No matter what you call it – “flush”, “blush” or “glow” – the red face, nausea and rapid heart beat that many people with Asian ancestry experience when they drink alcohol is more than just a quirk of nature.  Research shows it’s a significant risk factor for esophageal cancer, one of the deadliest malignancies in [...]

Tags: acetaldehyde, alcohol, ALDH2, Asian, esophageal cancer, flush, PLoS Medicine

SNPwatch gives you the latest news about research linking various traits and conditions to individual genetic variations. These studies are exciting because they offer a glimpse into how genetics may affect our bodies and health; but in most cases, more work is needed before this research can provide information of value to individuals. For that [...]

Tags: alcohol, drinking, nicotine, nicotinic receptor, smoking

SNPwatch gives you the latest news about research linking various traits and conditions to individual genetic variations. These studies are exciting because they offer a glimpse into how genetics may affect our bodies and health; but in most cases, more work is needed before this research can provide information of value to individuals. For that [...]

Tags: alcohol, cancer, Nature Genetics, SNP, SNPwatch