Inclination for addiction to certain chemicals ?

[Klaus]

Swim is interested to learn if there are any rats out there who have found that they become dependent on any particular substance easier than others ?

Swim is meaning serious physical dependence .

Swim has found that he becomes dependent on ANYTHING that it is POSSIBLE to become PHYSICALLY DEPENDENT on very easy.

There is a reason for swims disposition.

Swims first addiction was Alcohol and when it came to stopping had full DT's and convulsions.

Thankyou.

[monkeygone2heaven]

there two facts are well established:

- being prone to addiction in general has some genetic basis
- there is a lot of individual variability in receptor distribution, subtype distribution and other receptor properties for various substances (e.g., nicotine, dopamine, serotonin) -- most of these are also known to be genetic.

therefore we are all more or less likely to be addicted to certain things (our "poisons") by nature.

it is also known that these genetic factors are triggered into full-blown addiction by environmental stressors later on in life (even in animals)

there is so much literature in this, so just a few of the most recent abstracts:

general review of genetics and dopamine:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum


specifically about alcohol:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q..._uids=15520362

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...=pubmed_docsum

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q..._uids=16499479

[Klaus]

Thankyou for the links Monkey. Thankfully swim has no dependence (at the moment ) but as stated finds it VERY easy to become so.