Open Access

Understanding the genetics and neurobiological pathways behind addiction (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Alexandra Popescu
    • Maria Marian
    • Ana Miruna Drăgoi
    • Radu-Virgil Costea
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: March 23, 2021     https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.9976
  • Article Number: 544
  • Copyright: © Popescu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

The hypothesis issued by modern medicine states that many diseases known to humans are genetically determined, influenced or not by environmental factors, which is applicable to most psychiatric disorders as well. This article focuses on two pending questions regarding addiction: Why do some individuals become addicted while others do not? along with Is it a learned behavior or is it genetically predefined? Recent data suggest that addiction is more than repeated exposure, it is the synchronicity between intrinsic factors (genotype, sex, age, preexisting addictive disorder, or other mental illness), extrinsic factors (childhood, level of education, socioeconomic status, social support, entourage, drug availability) and the nature of the addictive agent (pharmacokinetics, path of administration, psychoactive properties). The dopamine‑mesolimbic motivation‑reward‑reinforcement cycle remains the most coherent physiological theory in addiction. While the common property of addictive substances is that they are dopamine‑agonists, each class has individual mechanisms, pharmacokinetics and psychoactive potentials.
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May-2021
Volume 21 Issue 5

Print ISSN: 1792-0981
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Spandidos Publications style
Popescu A, Marian M, Drăgoi AM and Costea R: Understanding the genetics and neurobiological pathways behind addiction (Review). Exp Ther Med 21: 544, 2021
APA
Popescu, A., Marian, M., Drăgoi, A.M., & Costea, R. (2021). Understanding the genetics and neurobiological pathways behind addiction (Review). Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 21, 544. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.9976
MLA
Popescu, A., Marian, M., Drăgoi, A. M., Costea, R."Understanding the genetics and neurobiological pathways behind addiction (Review)". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 21.5 (2021): 544.
Chicago
Popescu, A., Marian, M., Drăgoi, A. M., Costea, R."Understanding the genetics and neurobiological pathways behind addiction (Review)". Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine 21, no. 5 (2021): 544. https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2021.9976