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: closed (10 June 2026) | Viewed by 467
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
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Keywords
- genetics of addiction
- substance use disorders
- dopamine
- catecholamines
- polygenic risk
- epigenetics
- neuroendocrine regulation
- deep phenotyping
- reward deficiency syndrome
- GARS
- gene–phenotype classification
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