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Your environment can truly shape who you are. The things that happen to you during childhood, both good and bad, will leave a unique epigenetic “signature” on your genes, changing who you are and your ability to cope with things like stress and addiction.

Epigenetics – A brief overview

Epigenetics is the study of how the environment a person grew up in can change the expression of their genes, not changes to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) itself. The expression of genes is the process our cells use to convert the instructions in our DNA into things our body uses, like protein.

As we grow up, our DNA accumulates chemical marks that determine how much or little of the genes is expressed. The collection of chemical marks is known as the “epigenome”.

These changes in expression can be influenced by the environment a person grows up in, including their diet, stress, and exposure to toxins. So, the idea that DNA is “set in stone” has been proven false, and our environment can literally change who we are. So, who you are isn’t a debate of nature vs. nurture, but a combination of both.

Unlike genetic changes, which are permanent, epigenetic changes can be reversed.

Epigenetic modifications can turn genes on or off. These influence how cells read our genes and, as a result, how our bodies function.

Epigenetic changes in childhood

Childhood is the most critical period of brain development. The environment we grow up in and the experiences we live all have long-lasting effects on a person’s health and behaviour.

Negative experiences and toxic home environments like trauma, neglect and stress can change the brain's structure and function. Inversely, a stable, loving home can help the brain develop better and stronger.

So, for example, growing up in stressful home can alter how the genes involved in the stress response are expressed. This epigenetic reprogramming can make individuals more susceptible to stress and addiction later in life. Inversely, positive experiences can enhance resilience and coping mechanisms, reducing the risk of addiction.

Epigenetics and addiction

Addiction is complex. Genetic, environmental and psychological factors all play a role. While a person may play a role in addiction, the study into epigenetics is helping researchers and doctors understand the influence of environmental factors on genetic predispositions to addiction.

In the paper Epigenetics and Addiction by Peter J. Hamilton and Eric J. Nestler, the authors state that “nerve cells within the brain’s reward circuitry adapt at the epigenetic level during the course of repeated drug exposure. These drug-induced epigenetic adaptations mediate enduring changes in brain function which contribute to life-long, drug-related behavioural abnormalities that define addiction.”

Essentially, epigenetics may make your more susceptible to addiction, and the drugs you become addicted to cause further epigenetic changes, further altering your behaviour and making quitting that much harder.

The epigenetic legacy can make overcoming addiction much more difficult, as it affects brain chemistry, function and structure, as well as the ability to deal with stress, like quitting addictive substances.

Overall, it is estimated that a person’s genes account for 40-60% of their risk of addiction.

Quitting addiction: More than just willpower

Quitting addiction is almost impossible without the right tools in place. Anti-addiction therapies need to consider epigenetics, and tailor programmes to each person’s unique circumstances. Unfortunately, this can be difficult, time-consuming and expensive. This can make it that much more difficult for the person looking to overcome their addiction, as they either can’t afford a specific treatment catered to them or the systems are simply not in place to develop a programme for them.

Fortunately, research into treatments have yielded positive results for medicines that modify a gene product’s (expression) activity to correct neural pathways and restore proper brain function.

Because environmental factors play such a large role in epigenetics, positive lifestyle influences can have a great effect. Exercise, a balanced diet, and effective stress management can all have positive effects on epigenetic marks. This supportive environment is essential for recovery and minimising the possibility of relapse.

Epigenetics is a great foundation for the study and understanding of the factors that cause and strengthen addiction. By studying a person’s epigenetic marks, we can better understand how to help them overcome addiction.

References:

Epigenetics and Addiction. National Library of Medicine. 2019. Available here.

Your genes and addiction. Harvard Health Publishing. 2019. Available here.

DNA Epigenetics in Addiction Susceptibility. Frontiers. 2022. Available here.

Gene Expression. ScienceDirect. Accessed 2024. Available here.

Genes and Addiction. Learn.Genetics. Accessed 2024. Available here.