In his commentary on genomic studies of complex traits, Hirschhorn186 notes that ‘The difficulty in translation is not unique to genetic discoveries: nearly a century and three Nobel Prizes separate the determination of the chemical composition of cholesterol from the development of statins. Each discovery of a biologically relevant locus is a potential first step in a translational journey, and some journeys will be shorter than others.' Genetic factors are partly responsible for, not only, the comorbidity across addictions but also between addictions and other mental illness (for example, autism and bipolar disorder). The growth of these existing findings from genetic epidemiological studies into promising leads for treatment is necessary and with time, sustained funding and translational collaborations, this goal of a clear impact of genetic research on public health can and will be achieved.
