Alcohol and Drugs Rewire Your Brain by Changing How Your Genes Work—Research Is Investigating How to Counteract Addiction’s Effects
Author: Karla Kaun.
Source: Volume 25, Number 03, Summer 2024 , pp.49-50(2)
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Abstract:
A popular misconception is that addiction is a result of low willpower. But an explosion of knowledge and technology in the field of molecular genetics has changed our basic understanding of addiction drastically over the past decade. The general consensus among scientists and health care professionals is that there is a strong neurobiological and genetic basis for addiction. This article briefly surveys our current understanding of how alcohol and drugs affect the brain, particularly gene expression, and how to counteract these effects.Keywords: Signaling Pathways Linked to Addiction
Affiliations:
1: Brown University.