The College of Education for Pure Sciences, Department of Life Sciences, has researched a doctoral thesis on "The Relationship of Genetic Variation in Certain Genes (FAAH, MAOA, DRD4, COMT) with Drug and Alcohol Addiction." The thesis, presented by researcher Wael Sattar Jaber, included...

Drug and alcohol addiction is one of the most prominent health and social challenges, as environmental, psychological, and genetic factors intersect. Studies indicate that genetic factors contribute 40–60% of an individual's susceptibility to addiction through their impact on neurotransmitters in the reward system. Based on this, this study focused on four main genes: FAAH, MAOA, DRD4, and COMT, with the aim of clarifying their relationship to the risk of drug and alcohol addiction. The study was conducted on ninety blood samples from males divided into three groups: (30) drug addicts, (30) alcoholics, and (30) healthy controls. DNA was extracted from blood, and its concentration and purity were measured using a Nanodrop device. Genes were then amplified using PCR, and some variants were examined using Real-Time PCR (RS324420 in FAAH and RS4680 in COMT). Other variants were also identified by direct genomic sequencing. Haplotypes and linkage disequilibrium (LD) were analyzed using statistical programs such as SPSS, GraphPad Prism, and SHEsis Plus, with OR, CI, and p-values ​​calculated to measure the significance of the results. The study concluded that genetic variation in the studied genes contributes to susceptibility to drug and alcohol addiction, reflecting the complex interplay between neurological and genetic factors. It recommends expanding future multi-gene research and integrating it with psychological and social factors, in addition to developing prevention and awareness programs that reduce addiction rates and its impact on individuals and society.

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