A new study published in Addiction has identified genetic factors that influence both a person's risk of developing an addiction and their educational attainment. Researchers found that some genetic variants affect both traits in opposite directions, meaning that a higher genetic risk for addiction is associated with an increased likelihood of lower educational attainment.
Lead author Dr. Judit Cabana-Domínguez from the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) explains: "We have long known that substance use problems and school difficulties often appear together and make each other worse. Our research shows that part of this connection is explained by shared genetic factors."
The research team recruited over 1,400 participants with substance use disorders involving cocaine, opiates, cannabis and/or sedatives. Using a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS), they identified a subset of genetic variants that both increase the risk of addiction and are associated with lower educational attainment. This group of genetic variants is linked not only to substance use disorders but also to poorer health and socioeconomic outcomes. Together, these findings suggest a genetic connection between addiction and lower educational attainment, though they do not provide enough evidence to determine whether one causes the other.
According to Dr. Judit Cabana-Domínguez, "Although we found consistent evidence of shared genetic variants influencing both risk of addiction and risk of low educational attainment, our study cannot determine whether low educational attainment increases the risk for addiction, whether addiction leads to school difficulties, or whether both are true. Although much research remains, our findings suggest that promoting higher educational attainment may help health systems to improve and implement prevention strategies for substance use disorders."
