Kolkata, Jan 24 (IANS) Predicting one's predisposition to addiction and warning potential victims to stay away from certain substances may become a reality in the near future, Indian scientists say.

New avenues in predictive medicine have also opened up with scientists at the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology identifying the presence of genetic mutations (or abnormal changes in the genes) responsible for addiction.

"This is a study in the area of predictive medicine. If we can identify the mutation in a gene which has association with addiction and if it's present in an individual, then we can predict that he or she is prone to addiction," Sumantra Das of the Neurobiology Division at the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), told IANS.

IICB comes under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Several mutations are known to exist in genes encoding certain proteins called opioid receptors through which narcotics like morphine and heroin exert their effects.

These receptors are of several classes. Two of them - mu opioid receptors (MOR) and kappa opioid receptors (KOR) - have been known to be associated with drug addiction.

While morphine, which acts through the mu opioid receptor, is widely used in controlling chronic pain, it leads to addiction in individuals in several cases.

The group of scientists had previously identified prevalence of a mutation in MOR in addicts in Kolkata. This mutation, A118G, is found in various populations all over the world.

In a recent study published in Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry Journal, the group has also identified a mutation in the KOR gene.

"KOR mutations are thought to be effective only when present with the MOR mutations," co-researcher Deepak Kumar explained.

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Predictive medicine: Genes may identify potential addiction victims