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According to a new study by researchers at the University of Georgia, a family-based prevention program designed to help youth avoid substance abuse was especially effective for youth with genetic predisposition to the behavior. Researchers spent two-and-a-half years monitoring the progress of 11-year-olds participating in a family-centered prevention program called Strong African American Families (SAAF). Some of the youth participating were known to have a fairly common genetic variation which has been linked to impulsivity, low self-control, binge-drinking, and substance abuse.

Researchers found that youth with this variation who participated in SAAF were no more likely than their counterparts to have engaged in high-risk activities such as drinking, marijuana smoking, and sexual activity. Youth with the variation who did not participate in SAAF were more than twice as likely to have engaged in these behaviors.

Lead author of the study, Gene H. Brody, Ph.D., Regents Professor and Director of the Center for Family Research at the University of Georgia, commented on the studys findings: "We found that the prevention program proved especially beneficial for children with a genetic risk factor tied to risky behaviors. ... The results emphasize the important role of parents, caregivers, and family-centered prevention programs in promoting healthy development during adolescence, especially when children have a biological makeup that may pose a challenge."

(Source: www.sciencedaily.com)

Labels: drug prevention, genetics, teen

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Addiction experts at the University of Virginia Health System and the University of Michigan have discovered new insights into the genetics of addiction. According to a landmark paper to be published in the April 2009 issue of Nature Reviews Genetics, some of the same genes associated with alcohol dependence are also closely linked with other addictions, including nicotine, cocaine, opioids, and heroin. Paper co-author Ming Li, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences at the UVA School of Medicine, commented on the findings:

"Addiction researchers have found that several genes are linked with multiple addictions. ... So, we're narrowing the scope to specific genetic targets. Once researchers can pinpoint exact genetic variants and molecular mechanisms, then we can create much more effective, even personalized, treatments for individuals addicted to a variety of substances." (Sources: ScienceDaily.com)

Labels: addiction, genetics

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