Kenneth Blum^1-4*, Kai Uwe Lewandowski^5,6, Alireza Sharafshah^7,6, Catherine A. Dennen⁸, Albert Pinhasov¹, Abdalla Bowirrat¹, Chynna Fliegelman⁹, Debasis Bagchi¹⁰, Alexander PL Lewandrowski¹¹, Shaurya Mahajan³, Panayotis K Thanos¹² Rajendra D Badgaiyan¹³

¹Division of Addiction Research and Education, Center for Sports, Exercise and Global Mental Health, Western University Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA
²Department of Molecular Biology and Adelson School of Medicine, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
³Department of Clinical Neurology, The Blum Institute on Neurogenetics and Behavioral Addictions, Austin, TX., USA
⁴Division of Personalized Pain Therapy and Education, Center for Advanced Spine Care of Southern Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
⁵Cellular and Molecular Research Center, School of Medicine, Guilin University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
⁶Department of Orthopaedics, Fundación Universitaria Sanitas Bogotá D.C. Colombia
⁷Department of Psychiatry, Harvard School of Medicine, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, MA
⁸Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Clinical Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biosciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
⁹Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA., USA
¹⁰Department of Family Medicine, Jefferson Health Northeast, Philadelphia, PA, USA
¹¹Brain and Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Curry College, Milton, MA, USA
¹²Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
¹³Department of Biological Sciences, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA., USA
¹⁴Department of Psychology, St. Johns University, Queens, NYC., NY., USA
¹⁵Department of Psychiatry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences School of Medicine, Midland, TX., USA

*Corresponding Author: Kenneth Blum, Department of Molecular Biology, Adelson School of Medicine, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel, Division of Addiction Research and Education, Center for Sports, Exercise and Mental Health, Western University of the Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, Division of Nutrigenomics, The Kenneth Blum Behavioral Neurogenetic Institute, Austin, Division of Personalized Pain Therapy and Education, Center for Advanced Spine Care of Southern Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.

Received: March 06, 2025; Published: March 20, 2025

Abstract

We examine the relationship between substance use disorder (SUD) and schizophrenia, emphasizing the role of dopaminergic neurotransmission and genetic predispositions within the context of Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS). Our hypothesis posits that a deficiency in gamma-type endorphins leads to persistent hyperdopaminergic activity, amplifying schizophrenia-related symptoms such as hallucinations. Thus, alcohol use may function as a physiological self-healing mechanism by increasing gamma-endorphin levels, thereby mitigating dopaminergic hyperactivity. Additionally, we propose that the DRD2 Taq1 A2 allele could offer protection against SUD in certain individuals with schizophrenia, whereas the Taq1 A1 allele may heighten susceptibility to SUD due to impaired dopaminergic reward processing. The proposed dual genetic pathways arise from the independent yet interrelated genetic bases of SUD and schizophrenia, both involving the dopamine system. Epidemiological studies reveal that psychiatric comorbidity correlates with heightened psychopathology, risky behaviors, and diminished psychosocial performance. Further advanced research, including neuroimaging, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and epigenetic analyses, is needed to unravel the dopaminergic mechanisms underlying SUD and schizophrenia. Understanding these genetic links may pave the way for precise interventions tailored to specific subpopulations. The findings extend the conceptualization of RDS as a framework for understanding psychiatric and addictive disorders, reinforcing the critical role of dopamine dysregulation in their etiology.

 Keywords: Theorizingl Endorphins; Schizophrenia; Alcoholism; Genetic Testing; Dopamine; Homeostasis)

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Citation

Citation: Kenneth Blum., et al. “Theorizing The Role of Gama Type Endorphins in Schizophrenia and Alcoholism: Promoting Genetic Testing and Attempts at Inducing “Dopamine Homeostasis”". Acta Scientific Neurology 8.4 (2025): 28-40.

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Copyright: © 2025 Kenneth Blum., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.