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Old Sun, Oct-12-03, 04:03
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Demi Demi is offline
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Default Gene mix makes quitting smoking easier

I saw this in the New Scientist journal and thought it made interesting reading:

Gene mix makes quitting smoking easier

18:05 10 October 03
NewScientist.com news service

Smokers with a combination of two gene variations find it easier to kick their habit than others, suggests a US study.

Both genes alter the function of the brain neurotransmitter dopamine, which is associated with reward. The interaction of a form of SLC6A3, a dopamine transporter gene, and a variant of DRD2, a dopamine receptor gene, appears to ease the difficulty of kicking the habit, says the team.

Previous work has shown that the same form of SLC6A3 is associated with higher levels of dopamine in the brain, suggesting a mechanism for the effect.

"Future smoking cessation studies should evaluate genetic predisposition, as well as the influence of psychological and environmental factors that may promote relapse," says Caryn Lerman, at the University of Pennsylvania, who led the study.

Naj Dehlavi, a researcher at Action on Smoking and Health, UK, says: "We have known for a very long time that different therapies work better for different people - the new study possibly highlights that."

Optimal dose

Lerman and colleagues examined 418 smokers who wanted to quit and were taking part in a placebo-controlled clinical trial of the smoking cessation drug bupropion.

DNA from blood samples taken at the beginning of the trial revealed which variants of the two genes the smokers had. The smoker's smoking status, withdrawal symptoms and side-effects were monitored every week during treatment and six months after.

Over half - 53 per cent - of smokers with a specific combination of the two genes, had managed to abstain by the end of treatment, compared with only 39 per cent of the others. They also had a longer time to relapse. However, there was little significant difference at the six-month follow-up.

The team suggests that future studies might look at how gene variants could affect smoking cessation in the long term. "This line of investigation could potentially enable practitioners to select the optimal type and dose of medication for individual smokers," write the researchers.

"Anything that helps the smoker to give up smoking by having targeted therapy would be completely welcome," Dehlavi told New Scientist. But he warns: "The underlying addictiveness of nicotine cannot be explained away by genetic factors."

Journal reference: Health Psychology (vol 22, p 541)

Shaoni Bhattacharya



You can find the article here:

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994261
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