Human beings have been using intoxicating substances for millennia. But
while most people have used psychoactive substances without becoming
dependent on them, a significant minority develop substance use
disorders. The question remains: why does addiction occur in some and
not others? The 61st installment of the Nebraska Symposium on
Motivation, Genes and the Motivation to Use Substances probes the
complex role of genetics in substance use and abuse across diverse
methodologies, research organisms, levels of analysis and disciplines.
Its combined lifespan/motivation approach to individual differences
sheds necessary light on genetic vs. environmental factors in
vulnerability, addiction risk, the relationship between behavioral
disinhibition and substance use and the motivation to quit. While
alcohol use/abuse is the focus of much of the book, its chapters provide
scientific and clinical insights into substance abuse in general as well
as implications for treatment. And an intriguing conclusion discusses
the need to bridge the gap between genetics and neuroscience and the
best scientific conditions in which this integration may thrive.
Included in the coverage: - Rodent models of genetic contributions to
the motivation to use alcohol. - The adolescent origins of substance
abuse disorders - The developmental matrix of addictive behavior - The
genetics of cannabis involvement - The DNA methylation signature of
smoking - Genomics of impulsivity: integrating genetics and
neuroscience. Reflecting the current state of knowledge in a field with
groundbreaking potential, Genes and the Motivation to Use Substances is
a fascinating resource for psychologists, psychiatrists, geneticists,
neuroscientists, social workers, policymakers and researchers in
addiction.
