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Genetics Could Play Role in Teen Drinking

(1/24/2011)

HealthDay News
January 18, 2011

Genetics appear to play a role in teens' use of heavy drinking to cope with negative feelings, a new study suggests. Researchers collected DNA from 282 teens in the Netherlands who had consumed alcohol at least once in their lives. The teens were also asked about their reasons for drinking and the degree of alcohol-related problems they had experienced. The study found that binge drinking and alcohol-related problems among the teens were strongly associated with drinking to cope and variations in the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene, which is involved in the brain's reward pathway.

Read the full article: http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/648829.html

Keywords: genetics, teen drinking

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