Family Studies and the Search for Genes
One historical antecedent of the scientific study of alcohol dependence occurred when family studies began to emerge. Among the earliest family studies that showed increased likelihood of developing alcohol dependence if one’s relatives were alcohol dependent was conducted in St. Louis, Missouri, by Dr. George Winokur and Dr. Paula Clayton in the mid 1960’s. This study along with many other more recent studies established that alcohol dependence runs in families.
The scientific study of the origins of other substance use disorders began to emerge when researchers began to look for familial patterns of substance use disorder.
An intensive search for genes that alter susceptibility for addiction and related phenotypes has been ongoing in many academic centers. Addiction is a complex disorder that is influenced by both genetic and environmental underpinning, but to date very few genes have been identified that reliably confer that any individual will further go on to develop an addiction later in life.
Our research program has been exploring the genetic factors that may be inherited by individuals that put them at an elevated risk of developing addiction, and how these genetic risk factors relate to personality traits, biological markers and cognitive performance.
Utilizing a strategy where individuals were selected for a high density of alcohol dependence provides important clues for finding susceptibility genes. Currently we are conducting studies in which whole genome genetic variation in exomes (the part of the gene associated with protein production) is being studied in families. Another major emphasis of our lab has been on methylation studies. The last few decades has revealed that we are far more than the “hard-wired” genetic make-up we inherit. Experience can modify the effect of the genetic variants through a process called methylation. Methylation and other epigenetic changes (histone modification) have the ability to “turn on” and “turn off” genes.
For study results see our publication list.