Alcoholic abusers who also have a specific variant in the dopamine D2 receptor gene are ten times more likely to die prematurely, according to Swedish researchers.
Researchers at the Department of Psychology and the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, found a modification in the gene was associated with people with severe alcohol dependency.
They also believe the variant can lead individuals to relapse into drinking, even after undergoing treatment for dependency.
“Our research shows that alcohol-dependent individuals, who are also carriers of this gene variant, run ten times the risk of dying prematurely, compared with the average population,” says Claudia Fahlke, who worked on the research, which is published in issue 46 of the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism.
It may be one reason why there is a higher mortality rate in people suffering from alcohol dependency and who are carriers of this gene variant.
“This knowledge emphasises the importance of developing methods for early identifying individuals who are also carriers of this gene variant, since the consequences can be so serious,” adds Jan Balldin at the Sahlgrenska Academy.
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