How alcohol and cannabis together change gene activity at different life stages
Combined alcohol and cannabis exposure may cause lasting changes to gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms, with effects varying by life stage from prenatal development through adulthood.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Both alcohol and cannabis independently modulate the epigenome through chromatin modification and remodeling, affecting gene activation and silencing. Co-exposure may have compounding effects that differ across developmental stages, contributing to addiction, behavioral abnormalities, and neurodegeneration.
Key Numbers
97.5 million Americans over 12 have used cannabis for non-medical use. 1 in 10 cannabis users develop dependence. 16% of US substance abuse admissions are cannabis-related (second to alcohol). 16 million adults have alcohol use disorders.
How They Did This
Narrative review covering epigenetic mechanisms (DNA methylation, histone modification, chromatin remodeling) affected by cannabis and alcohol exposure, examining evidence across prenatal, adolescent, and adult stages.
Why This Research Matters
Most substance research studies alcohol and cannabis separately, but many people use both. Understanding how they interact at the molecular level through epigenetic changes could reveal why co-use carries different risks than either substance alone.
The Bigger Picture
Epigenetic changes can be passed to future generations, meaning substance use effects may extend beyond the individual user. Understanding these mechanisms is essential as both substances become more accessible through legalization.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
This is a narrative review with inherent selection bias. Much of the evidence comes from animal studies. The epigenetic overlap between alcohol and cannabis is largely theoretical at this stage. Individual genetic variation in epigenetic susceptibility was not addressed.
Questions This Raises
- ?Are epigenetic changes from co-exposure reversible with cessation?
- ?Do certain genetic backgrounds make people more susceptible to epigenetic damage from these substances?
- ?Can epigenetic markers be used to identify at-risk individuals?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 97.5 million Americans have used cannabis; epigenetic effects may compound with alcohol
- Evidence Grade:
- Preliminary: narrative review synthesizing mostly animal data with theoretical framework for co-exposure effects.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2019.
- Original Title:
- The epigenetic modulation of alcohol/ethanol and cannabis exposure/co-exposure during different stages.
- Published In:
- Open biology, 9(1), 180115 (2019)
- Authors:
- Dobs, Yasminah Elsaadany, Ali, Mohamed Medhat
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02015
Evidence Hierarchy
Summarizes existing research on a topic.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What are epigenetic changes?
Epigenetic changes alter how genes are read and expressed without changing the DNA sequence itself. Substances like alcohol and cannabis can turn genes on or off through mechanisms like DNA methylation and histone modification.
Is using alcohol and cannabis together worse for your genes?
This review suggests both substances independently cause epigenetic changes, and co-use may have compounding effects. However, much of this evidence comes from animal studies, and the human implications are still being researched.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02015APA
Dobs, Yasminah Elsaadany; Ali, Mohamed Medhat. (2019). The epigenetic modulation of alcohol/ethanol and cannabis exposure/co-exposure during different stages.. Open biology, 9(1), 180115. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsob.180115
MLA
Dobs, Yasminah Elsaadany, et al. "The epigenetic modulation of alcohol/ethanol and cannabis exposure/co-exposure during different stages.." Open biology, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsob.180115
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "The epigenetic modulation of alcohol/ethanol and cannabis ex..." RTHC-02015. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/dobs-2019-the-epigenetic-modulation-of
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.