The search for genetic and psychological markers of the risk of drug use by adolescents with addictive behavior as part of primary prevention: preliminary results of a pilot study in Lipetsk

The important task of practical narcology is diagnostics of propensity to use drugs and evaluation of level of risk for substance abuse among adolescents, but choosing the most reliable signs, which determine prognosis of addictive behavior, is still debated. Purpose of the pilot study, carried out at Lipetsk Regional Narcological Dispensary in 2011-2014, was the search for genetic and psychological markers of risk for drug use by adolescents with addictive behavior. The study involved 75 adolescents: 24 girls (16.0±1.22 years) and 51 boys (16.0±1.12 years). All the examinees were referred to addiction specialist by police because of alcohol use in public places. Results. The identification of the level of genetic risk for diseases of substance dependence according to genotyping of DNA of patients for polymorphic gene loci of the dopamine system (Kibitov А.О., 2013) and psychological testing with use of Cloninger’s psychometric scales assessing temperament and character (TCI-125) were carried out. Among the study sample drug use was significantly more common in boys with an extremely high level of genetic risk (>3 points). More than 70 % of the total number of boys with genetic risk more than 3 points used drugs. The extremely high genetic risk criterion allows outlining a group including about 40 % of drug users of the total in the male study sample. Identification of genetic risk in the male sample showed a clear preference in comparison with psychological testing to reveal adolescents with the highest risk of drug and substance abuse. For girls significant markers of drug use were found neither during psychological testing nor during genotyping. Conclusion. For the purpose of individual prevention of drug use by male adolescents with high levels of genetic risk it is advisable to recommend participating in programs of preventive correction. Continuing research on large samples will validate obtained preliminary data.