Find the gene that causes alcoholism

A new study has discovered a gene called RASGRF-2 that plays an important role in alcohol stimulation to release dopamine in the brain, making drinkers feel happy and like. drink alcohol.

>>>Use drugs to treat alcoholism

The conclusion was drawn by British scientists when they studied the brains of mice and humans. Initially, scientists who observed the RASGRF2 cut off mice showed that they acted to find alcohol and the release of dopamine by nerve cells significantly decreased.

The scientists then conducted brain scans of 663 teenagers and 14-year-olds, and found that those with the genetic variant of RASGRF2 showed the activity of the brain area emitting dopamine. To verify that the research team analyzed the drinking behavior of teenagers. Among those who had the RASGRF2 gene began drinking alcohol more often and more than those without RASGRF2 two years later.

People with RASGRF2 genes tend to be more alcoholic

The research results have helped explain the phenomenon of some young people who like to drink all day long.'If a person has a genetic variant of RASGRF-2, drinking alcohol will give them a stronger sense of joy, leading to the risk of them becoming addicted to heavy alcohol,' Gunter Schumann, team leader at The Institute of Psychiatry at the Royal College of London said.

It is known that alcohol, drugs and other substances activate the brain's dopamine system, causing a sense of excitement for users. According to the World Health Organization, there are about 2.5 million people worldwide die every year from alcoholism, accounting for 3.8% of the total number of deaths worldwide.