The Cause Of Reckless And Impulsive Behavior Due To Alcohol Consumption Is Found In The Mutation Of A Gene

We all have a friend or acquaintance who c When you drink alcohol, you become uncontrolled and show impulsive and reckless behavior A Finnish study suggests that these individuals cannot help it, as they are genetically predisposed to react this way when consuming alcohol.

A genetic mutation found in 2.2 percent of the population appears to be the cause of this problematic behavior. The genetic mutation affects the serotonin receptor called 2B.

Still don’t know what serotonin is? In the article “Serotonin: discover the effects of this hormone on your body and mind” we explain it in detail.

2.2 percent of the population has this genetic mutation

Everyone has a different level of tolerance to alcohol, but for some individuals, just drinking a small amount of this substance can act in a very disproportionate, impulsive, reckless and dangerous manner.

A recent investigation has found a biological reason for this behavior, as a group of researchers from the University of Helsinki in Finland affirm that The cause is found in a genetic mutation In the country where this study was conducted, more than 100,000 people have this mutation.

The study confirms another investigation from 2010

The research was led by psychiatrist Roope Tikkanen, and concludes that the mutation of a gene related to the serotonin B2 receptor causes impulsive behavior, particularly when the carrier individual is drunk. Published by the Nature Publishing group in their magazine Translational Psychiatrythe research results confirm a previous study by Bevilacqua and his team, which was carried out in 2010.

For Tikkanen’s study, however, the scientists used data from alcoholic patients and their relatives, collected by Mattu Virkkunen, professor emeritus of Forensic Psychiatry at the same university. Additionally, research subjects completed personality questionnaires and were interviewed face-to-face by a psychiatrist.

The discovery has its origins in a cooperative relationship that has lasted several years, between the Psychiatric Clinic of the University of Helsinki and the Neurogenetics Laboratory of the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the United States, directed by Dr. David Goldman.

Not much is known about the serotonin 2B receptor.

Tikkanen explains: “There are people who change radically when they consume alcohol and are not able to correct their behavior even though it is repeated, which did not suggest to us that this phenomenon was due to biological factors.”

Very little is known about the serotonin 2B receptor in humans, but it is thought to be related to impulsivity, which, in turn, is associated with different mental health problems. The identified mutation is present in 2.2 percent of the population, therefore more than 100,000 Finns are carriers.

“The impact of a gene on a complex phenomenon like this is difficult to observe. But it is possible to identify the impact of genetic mutation in the Finnish population, since our historical isolation has led us to a relatively homogeneous gene pool,” says Tikkanen.

Conclusions

If these results are confirmed in larger samples of subjects who suffer from serious difficulties controlling their impulsivity, different corrective measures can be carried out. The most important and priority is the prevention of alcohol consumption by these individuals. Other measures could be cognitive-behavioral therapy for impulse control or, ultimately, pharmacological treatment.

Apart from the effect it may have on the health of the population, the discovery of this biological mechanism may lead to more research into the role of the serotonin 2B receptor in the human body. New research in the neurobiological field will surely go in this direction. Besides, Better knowledge about this receptor can stimulate innovation in the pharmacological world

Finally, Tikkanen concludes: “the mutation may also be predictive of impulsive violent behavior, as we found that the prevalence of the mutation is four times higher among a population of individuals categorized as ‘violent offenders.’ This may have implications for the prevention of violence and serve the legal system in decision-making.”