Author(s)

Kenneth Blum^1-7*, Thomas Simpaatico³, Roger L. Waite², Seth H. Blum², Kristina Dushaj³, Margaret A. Madigan^2,6, Eric R. Braverman^1,3, Marlene Oscar-Bermanm⁸

¹Department of Psychiatry and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, USA.
²Department of Nutrigenomic Research, RDSolutions, LLC, Del Mar, USA.
³Department of Neurology, PATH Foundation NY, New York, USA.
⁴Dominion Diagnostics, LLC, North Kingstown, USA.
⁵Department of Psychiatry, Human Integrated Services Unit University of Vermont Center for Clinical & Translational Science, College of Medicine, Burlington, USA.
⁶Department of Genomics, IGENE, LLC, Austin, USA.
⁷Department of Addiction Research & Therapy, Malibu Beach Recovery Center, Malibu Beach, USA.
⁸Departments of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, and Boston VA Healthcare System, Boston, USA.

We hypothesize that individuals with genetic predisposition to Substance Use Disorder (SUD) may have greater likelihood of experiencing work related accidents. We further hypothesize that high risk populations will carry single or multiple polymorphisms associated with brain reward circuitry and/or brain reward cascade, including: Dopaminergic (i.e. DRD2 receptor genes); Serotonergic (i.e. 5-HTT2 receptor genes); Endorphinergic (i.e. pre-enkephalin genes); Gabergic (i.e. GABA_A receptor genes); Neurotransmitter Metabolizing genes (i.e. MAO and COMT genes) among others (GARS_RX^TM). Analgesic addiction as well as “pseudoaddiction” must be treated to improve pain control and its management. We propose that non-pharmacological alternatives to pain relief, in high risk, addiction-prone individuals, are Electrotherapeutic Device(s) and Programs. We further propose patented KB220Z, a nutraceutical designed to release dopamine at the nucleus accumbens, will reduce craving behavior, in genetically programmed individuals. By utilizing both alternatives in DNA analyzed injured workers, a reduction in analgesic addiction (genuine or pseudo) leads to improved health and quicker return to work. We also hypothesize that this novel approach will impact costs related to injuries in the workforce. Effective management of chronic pain, especially in high addiction-prone workforce populations, is possible in spite of being particularly elusive. A series of factors encumber pain assessment and management, including analgesia addiction, pharmacogenomic response to pain medications, and genetically inherited factors involving gene polymorphisms. Additional research is required to test these stipulated hypotheses related to genetic proneness to addiction, but also proneness to accidents in the workplace and reduction of craving behavior. Our hypothesis that genotyping coupled with both KB220Z^TM and the pharmaceutical-free Electrotherapy, will reduce iatrogenic induced analgesia addiction. This approach will achieve attainable effective pain management and quicker return to work. We propose outcomes such as the Reward Deficiency System Solution^TM may become an adjunct in the war against iatrogenic pain medication addiction.

Injuries, Workforce, Reward Gene Polymorphisms, KB220Z, Electrotherapy Device & Program, Iatrogenic Analgesic Addiction, Reward Deficiency System Solution

Blum, K. , Simpaatico, T. , Waite, R. , Blum, S. , Dushaj, K. , Madigan, M. , Braverman, E. and Oscar-Bermanm, M. (2014) Hypothesizing “Reward” Gene Polymorphisms May Predict High Rates of Injury and Addiction in the Workforce: A Nutrient and Electrotherapeutic Based Solution. Health, 6, 2261-2285. doi: 10.4236/health.2014.616262.