Genetics and Your Opiate Addiction
While you’re taking your Suboxone or Subutex every day and detoxing off of prescription painkillers, it may interest you to know that scientists may have a new clue as to why.
Genetics. Now, we knew already that if your mother or father were addicts then you would be more likely to have an addictive personality and that if any of your grandparents were addicts then, too—to a lesser degree—you would be affected adversely in the compulsive behavior department.
The new research done by Dr. Judith A. Potashkin, Ph.D. and her colleagues at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science have done research that explores the changes that occur genetically when you take an drug with addictive qualities.
Says Dr. Potashkin an expert in gene expression and Associate Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology: “Addiction is a brain disorder that manifests itself by repetitive behaviors despite negative consequences. Currently, there is an abundance of information known about the cellular and behavioral changes that occur during addiction, but little is understood concerning the changes that occur at the molecular level with regards to gene expression. Understanding the changes that occur between transcription and protein synthesis is key to revealing the mechanism that leads to addiction.”
And what does that mean? Basically, that there is new information about how our brain works and changes that provides a number of new research topics that could ultimately result in new therapy measures and medications to treat drug addiction.
In the meantime, we have Suboxone and Subutex, the only FDA-approved brands of buprenorphine, with which we can not only kick prescription painkillers but safely detox off of potentially lethal addictions to opiates. Science has served us well thus far, in terms of treating drug addiction. It’s kind of exciting to keep up with the new phases and learn about the new ways that researchers are discovering to save lives.
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