Genes and Nicotine Addiction
No cigarette has ever been between my lips. My mind is a different matter. Movies and advertisements make smoking seem so cool and relaxing that I’ve sometimes taken a mental drag on an imaginary cigarette.
For over 1 in 5 Americans, however, cigarettes are an important part of their daily routine; it picks them up in the morning and calms them down later in the day. Most smokers know that the dangers of smoking far outweigh the good feelings, but it’s not easy to quit. Genetic make-up most likely influences a person’s susceptibility to becoming addicted, the ease with which they can stop smoking, and their ability to metabolize smoking cessation drugs. (The American Journal of Psychiatry, August 2005)
The following candidate genes appear to influence a person’s response to treatment for nicotine dependence - nicotine replacement (nicotine gum, nicotine nasal spray, and transdermal nicotine) and bupropion.
- Dopamine D2 receptor gene (DRD2) - carriers of the A1 allele of the responded better to transdermal nicotine. Carriers of the DRD2*A1 allele also seemed to find food more awarding after quitting smoking, perhaps leading to increased weight gain.
- µ opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) - carriers of the OPRM1 variant responded better to transdermal nicotine.
- Dopamine ß-hydroxylase gene (DBH) - smokers with both the DRD2*A1 allele and the DBH*A allele responded better to transdermal nicotine.
- Cytochrome P450 2B6 gene (CYP2B6) - implicated in bupropion kinetics (88) and in brain nicotine metabolism.
- Dopamine transporter gene (SLC6A3) - smokers with DRD2*A2 and SLC6A3*9 alleles had significantly higher abstinence rates after bupropion treatment.
The researchers propose using gene-targeted treatment to improve a smoker’s chances of success at quitting smoking.
Because no one medication is likely to be safe and efficacious for a majority of persons with nicotine dependence, it will be useful to develop genetics-based methods and other tools to predict therapeutic response in subgroups of nicotine-dependent persons.
Everyone know that smoking is bad for you, but most people can’t quit cold turkey. The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has the following tips for quitting:
- Dont smoke any number or any kind of cigarette.
- Write down why you want to quit.
- Know that it will take effort to quit smoking.
- Half of all adult smokers have quit, so you can too.
- Get help if you need it.
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POSTED IN: Genetics of Disease
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1 opinion for Genes and Nicotine Addiction
Kathy
Sep 3, 2007 at 10:40 pm
I have smoked for about 25 years. I had successfully quit for 2 1/2 years through hypnosis.
I lost wieght and felt as if a big gap was in my life.
I had always been very healthy with rarely a cold before I quit. Developed severe migraine headaches a few months after quitting and was sick with colds 4 times.
After resuming a smoking life again, I felt better, ate more, have rarely been sick, and migraines are less.
I would like to quit and have slowly cut down. If I stop altogether I have a very bad migraine for days.
My father was a smoker. Is there a possibility of mutated genes passed on, that make me feel and function better with nictotine in my system?
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