Biological theories attribute addiction risk to which domains?

• A. Genes, hormones, and neurological factors
• B. Psychological traits
• C. Social environment
• D. Cultural norms

Answer: (A)

Biological theories explain addiction risk through processes inside the body. Genetic factors shape how vulnerable a person is by influencing metabolism, receptor availability, and overall sensitivity to drugs and cravings. Hormones can alter mood, stress responses, and reward processing, which can change how appealing substances are at different times or in different states. Neurological factors involve brain circuits tied to reward, motivation, and self-control—especially the brain’s dopamine pathways and related regions like the nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area, and prefrontal cortex—and how these systems respond and adapt to substance use. Together, genes, hormones, and brain mechanisms create a biological predisposition to addiction, even though other influences like psychological traits, social environment, and cultural norms also play important roles through different pathways.