Genetics of Substance Use and Addictions
A special issue of Genes (ISSN 2073-4425). This special issue belongs to the section "Human Genomics and Genetic Diseases".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2026 | Viewed by 28
Special Issue Editor
Interests: addiction and substance abuse; neurology; aging and cognitive decline; nutrition; total health and new models of health care
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue addresses the genetics of substance use and addictions as a multi-locus, phenotype-wide and master-regulated problem, not a single-gene phenomenon. Classical and more recent work on dopamine and Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS), including composite indices such as GARS (Genetic Addiction Risk Score), demonstrate that vulnerability to substance use disorders is substantially heritable. Yet most studies still examine a narrow set of polymorphisms and a limited range of clinical or behavioral endpoints.
We invite original research, reviews and position papers that explicitly link gene-wide architecture (dopamine and other catecholamine pathways, stress-response, neuroendocrine, neurotrophic and metabolic genes) with deep phenotyping across behavior, cognition, endocrine status, brain structure/function and environment. Particular priority will be given to work that treat the brain and neuroendocrine system as central “master regulators” of widely distributed genes—integrating dopaminergic loci across many chromosomes with hormonal modulators (testosterone, estrogen, thyroid hormones, cortisol), epigenetic mechanisms and developmental timing.
The long-term goal is to move from “one-gene–one-behavior” models toward polygenic + epigenetic + phenotype-wide + environment + developmental frameworks that can realistically guide the prevention and treatment of substance-use disorders. We anticipate that this Special Issue will help motivate comprehensive, publicly supported cohorts that will eventually be needed to truly manage these complex, united gene–epigenetic systems.
Dr. Eric R. Braverman
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Genes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- genetics of addiction
- substance use disorders
- dopamine
- catecholamines
- polygenic risk
- epigenetics
- neuroendocrine regulation
- deep phenotyping
- reward deficiency syndrome
- GARS
- gene–phenotype classification
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
