Having more than one drink a week could mean you’re more at risk of internet or gaming addiction, according to new research.
Previous studies have linked certain genes to specific forms of addiction, but scientists in Hungary have now found genes linked to many forms of addictive behavior.
DNA analysis of more than 3,000 people and behavioral questionnaires revealed nine links between genetic variants and certain addictions.
One gene in particular, known as FOXN3, was found to be associated with a greater likelihood of heavy alcohol consumption, as well as being more prone to Internet addiction and gaming disorder.
People with the ‘A’ form of this gene were found to be 34 percent more likely to drink alcohol at least six times a month.
The gene is also commonly found in people at high risk for Internet and gaming addiction.
The ‘A’ form of the FOXN3 gene led to higher scores on problematic online gaming and also on problematic internet use questionnaires.
“It has previously been shown that a strong genetic influence exists in various addictions,” said study author Dr. Csaba Barta, from Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary.
“Heritability, which is a measure of the genetic contribution of a trait, is estimated to account for 50-70 percent of the dependence, the rest being environmental effects.
“However, the specific genetic variants and their neurobiological roles in addiction are not well known.”
The other form of the FOXN3 gene that people can have is the ‘G’ form, which is not associated with Internet or gaming disorders, but has instead been found to be associated with exercise addiction.
The study may help understand the overlap between addictive behaviors
“These findings can contribute to scientific knowledge about addictions, which affect millions of people around the world,” said Zolt Demetrović, MD, professor of psychology at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest.
“What is new about the study is that it examines in detail the relationship between substance use and non-substance-related addictive behaviors.
“It may bring us closer to understanding the overlap in vulnerability between different types of potentially addictive behaviors.”
A 2020 study found a link between alcohol consumption and problematic internet use, and this study may have uncovered a causal mechanism.
Professor Mark Potenza, director of the Center for Excellence in Gambling Research at Yale University School of Medicine, who co-authored the new study, said:
“Further studies using larger samples and other analytical approaches (eg, genome-wide association studies) are needed to further substantiate these findings.”
The study was published in the journal Personalized Medicine.
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