Biological Approach Smoking - created from Mind Map

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INITIATION

family & twin studies show heritability between 39%-80%

Vink: individual differences in initiation explained by genetic (44%) and environmental (56%) influences.

children of women who smoked 20 a day during pregnancy more likely to become addicted to nicotine or progress from regular smoking to addiction as adults.

suggests it doesn't increases likelihood that the child will take up smoking but will double the risk of them becoming addicted if they did begin to smoke.

supporting study found specific gene variant influenced number of cigs smoked a day, nicotine dependence & risk of developing smoke related diseases.

those smoking

suggests genetics don't initiate but make it more likely to become dependent once they start smoking.

MAINTENANCE

nicotine dependence influenced by 75% genetic factors

initiation influenced more by environment but dependence determined by individual differences in nicotine metabolism

nicotine activates nicotinic acetylcholine & releases dopamine leading to short lived feelings of pleasure. impairment of mood & conc occurs as levels drop so have more to alleviate symptoms.

RELAPSE

ability to quit smoking is also inherited. Xian: 54% risk for quit failure due to heritability.

Uhl attempted to identify gene clusters associated with quit success to match specific antismoking treatments with smokers most likely to benefit from them.

genetic testing could allow for most effective quit therapy & maximise likelihood of quitting successfully. effectiveness of medication is moderated by genetic make up. Those with gene variant asp40 of mu-opioid gene were twice as likely to quit with a higher dose nicotine replacement therapy than with lower doses.

neglects other determining factors including social context

but regarding it as a bio problem creates possibility of pharmacological methods of treatment

screening for genetic susceptibility can allow for prevention of serious addiction

but there is only a small association between genes & smoking addiction presently

study looked at twin pairs that were reared apart. 9 pairs out of 42 were discordant for smoking behaviour, suggesting genes might play a part.

Biological Approach Smoking