During my college orientation, I
was required to complete an online seminar called AlcoholEdu. I recall that the
program discussed how alcohol can be used safely, and without negative
consequences by monitoring intake and keeping ones blood alcohol concentration
below 0.04%, which is described as the "warm and fuzzy" state.
Despite being taught the importance of safe alcohol consumption, college
students seem uninterested in drinking to feel "warm and fuzzy" and
would much rather drink until they are "blackout and messy." Binge
drinking has become a major problem in the US and can be observed amongst all
age groups. In regards to young adults, a survey done by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention report that 26.1% of individuals age 18-24
report binge drinking behaviors. Despite the efforts made by many colleges to
include education on the dangers of binge drinking, it is still incredibly
common. Could it be that there is something at play that makes certain individuals
more susceptible to binge drinking patterns than others?
The article "Gene and
Tonic" by Abigail Pattenden offers a genetic basis for impulsive
behaviors and affinity to binge drinking patterns. The article discusses
research conducted by the University of Sussex, that suggests that mutations in
the KALRN gene is involved in impulsivity and binge drinking. Researchers at
the university conducted an experiment on rats, which involved assessing their
ability to wait for a reward. Rats were presented with condensed milk (the
reward), and were considered "impulsive" if they tried to obtain the
reward too quickly. The DNA sequences of rats that rated high in impulsivity
were compared to the DNA sequences of low impulsivity rats. The experiment was
repeated, however human subjects were used rather than rats. By comparing the
DNA sequences of high and low impulsivity rats and humans, researchers were
able to identify variations in the KALRN gene, which suggests that the gene is
associated with impulsive and binge drinking behaviors.
Not only can genes have an
influence on binge drinking, binge drinking can affect gene transcription and
even be passed on epigenetically to an individual’s offspring. An experiment
done by the Loyola University Chicago Department of Cellular and Molecular
Physiology and the Department of Medicine tested the potential epigenetic
effects of binge drinking in adolescent rats. The experiment involved creating
an experimental group of adolescent rats that underwent 8-day binge-pattern
alcohol exposure, and a control group which was given tap water instead. Rats
were mated four different ways: Maternal Experimental x Paternal Experimental,
Maternal Experimental x Paternal Control, Maternal Control x Paternal
Experimental, and Maternal Control x Paternal Control. Genome-wide
methylation in the hypothalamus was compared amongst the offspring of these
groups, which revealed hypermethylation of DNA cytosines in the three
experimental groups. Hypermethylated DNA closes the DNA off which prevents the
binding of transcription factors to that DNA. This would prevent gene
transcription and can reduce the expression of a gene. Abnormal gene
suppression can create phenotypical issues. For instance, hypermethylation of
cancer suppressing genes can increase one's risk of developing cancer. Binge
drinking patterns during rat adolescence have an adverse effect on the
methylation of their DNA, which consequently can be epigenetically transferred
to their offspring.
Binge Drinking is a major problem
for people in the US. Understanding that there is a genetic basis to binge
drinking could hopefully bring new therapy or medication that could somehow
reduce binge drinking behavior. The media glorifies binge drinking, normalizing
it and making it appear much safer than it actually is. What the media fails to
show is the negative effect that binge drinking can have, not only on an
individual’s DNA, but on the DNA of their offspring as well.
References:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2016.00052/full
https://blog.frontiersin.org/2016/05/12/gene-and-tonic-genetic-link-in-binge-drinking-teens/
https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/binge-drinking.htm
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