More genetics stuff

[andrewducker]

Plastic article here.

In girls, there was a significant genetic influence on all substance abuse in adolescence. But, with boys, environmental factors, including a dysfunctional family and peers who use drugs and alcohol, had a pervasive influence.

Dr Silberg said, "Because girls’ use of substances is controlled by the same genes that are linked to behavioural problems, treatment efforts that target the antisocial behaviour itself may be effective. Boys’ substance use may be reduced by directly altering those family and peer characteristics that are most influential."

Their statistical analysis found that, for boys and girls, no one risk factor was to blame for smoking, drinking and drug use in young teens. In both boys and girls, genetics and environment played a role - but the degree of influence of each varied for girls and boys.

"In the past, there has been a tendency to seek separation of nature and nurture in an attempt to determine which exerted the greater influence on different traits or disorders," Silberg said. "It is now clear that this dichotomization is a misleading oversimplification because of the interactions and correlations between genetics and environment."