Ernest P. Noble

Some people may have a genetic predisposition to drug addiction, argues Ernest P. Noble in the following viewpoint. Noble claims that people with a gene variant, which researchers have nicknamed the “pleasure-seeking” gene, may turn to drugs to increase their levels of dopamine—a neurotransmitter that enables people to feel good. Understanding the nature of this gene, Noble contends, can lead to more effective treatment options. Noble is a professor of psychiatry and director of the Alcohol Research Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, Neuropsychiatric Institute and Hospital.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. How did people view addiction through most of the twentieth century, in Noble’s opinion?
2. In the author’s view, what did research show was different about the brain tissue of those with the...