A Review of Genome-Wide Association Studies of Stimulant and Opioid Use Disorders

Abstract

Substance use disorders (SUD) are a major contributor to disability and disease burden worldwide. Risk for developing SUDs is influenced by variation in the genome. Identifying the genetic variants that influence SUD risk may help us to understand the biological mechanisms for the disorders and improve treatments. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been successful in identifying many regions of the genome associated with common human disorders. Here, findings from recent GWAS of SUDs that involve illicit substances will be reviewed. Several GWAS have been reported, including studies on opioid and stimulant use disorder (cocaine and methamphetamine). Several of these GWAS report associations that are biologically interesting and statistically robust. Replication of the associations in independent samples and functional studies to understand the basis for the statistical associations will be important next steps.