Heavy drinking may change DNA, leading to increased craving for alcohol

Binge and heavy drinking may trigger a long-lasting genetic change, resulting in an even greater craving for alcohol.

"We found that people who drink heavily may be changing their DNA in a way that makes them crave alcohol even more," said Distinguished Professor Dipak K. Sarkar. "This may help explain why alcoholism is such a powerful addiction, and may one day contribute to new ways to treat alcoholism or help prevent at-risk people from becoming addicted."

In 2016, more than 3 million people died from the harmful use of alcohol, according a World Health Organization report. That is 5 percent of all global deaths. More than three-quarters of alcohol-caused deaths were among men. The harmful use of alcohol also caused 5.1 percent of the worldwide toll of disease and injuries.

Scientists focused on two genes implicated in the control of drinking behavior:

• PER2: influences the body's biological clock
• POMC: regulates our stress-response system.

By comparing groups of moderate, binge and heavy drinkers, the researchers found that the two genes had changed in the binge and heavy drinkers. The binge and heavy drinkers also showed reductions rate at which these genes create proteins. These changes increased with greater alcohol intake.

Additionally, in an experiment, the drinkers viewed stress-related, neutral or alcohol-related images. They also were shown containers of beer and subsequently tasted beer, and their motivation to drink was evaluated. The result: alcohol-fueled changes in the genes of binge and heavy drinkers were associated with a greater desire for alcohol.

The findings may eventually help researchers identify measurable indicators such as proteins or modified genes that could predict an individual's risk for binge or heavy drinking.

Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/r.../01/190129081939.htm