Prevent Disease.com - Unhealthy Lifestyle? Blame It on the Genes



		Unhealthy Lifestyle? Blame It on the Genes Excerpt By Patricia Reaney, Reuters Health LONDON (Reuters) - Can't quit smoking? Drinking too much? Blame your genes. Scientists at Britain's Cancer Research UK charity said on Tuesday that genes can influence human behavior and could even be blamed -- in part -- for unhealthy lifestyles and habits. "Our study suggests that there's a genetic basis to certain kinds of personality traits which may be important in influencing whether people take up habits like smoking or whether they subsequently give them up," said Dr Marcus Munafo of Cancer Research UK at Oxford University in England. But this does not mean we are at the mercy of our genes, Munafo said. Upbringing and the influence of family and friends also play a part. In a re-analysis of data from 46 studies, involving 20,000 people, that examined the link between inheritance and behavior, Munafo and his colleagues found that genetic make-up may influence a person's susceptibility to addiction. The neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine were found to play an important role as researchers focused on genes that control chemical signaling in the brain. A strong link was identified between a variation in the human serotonin transporter gene and anxious personalities which could influence a person's susceptibility to substance abuse. They also noticed a weaker association between a variation in the dopamine D4 receptor with extrovert personality traits. Serotonin is linked with mood and dopamine is believed to be associated with addictive behavior. "We looked specifically at human personality because we know independently that neuroticism, for example, is related to whether or not one smokes, how much one smokes..." Munafo, an experimental psychologist, said. "It's basically trying to plot the pathway between the gene and the unhealthy behavior. Personality occupies some middle ground." How extroverted a person is has been shown to have an influence on sensation-seeking behavior, while a tendency to neurotic behavior has been associated with the intensity of a habit and the likelihood of becoming addicted. Munafo said the findings, which are reported in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, may help scientists tailor treatments for alcoholism or addictions to drugs or tobacco. Reference Source 89 For more information on how to prevent other diseases, use PreventDisease.com's "Quick Prevention Resources".