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Sex addicts can blame their genes
Published on Sat, May 27, 2006 at 16:21, Updated on Sat, May 27, 2006 at 16:28 in 
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London: It may take more than therapy to cure a 'sex addict', for it has been discovered that genetics, and not uncontrollable urges are responsible for some people having stronger sex drives than others.
This discovery has been made by a team of scientists from Hebrew University and Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Israel.
They have found that being addicted to sex may come as a result of variations in a gene called D4, which is involved in the brain's reaction to the pleasure chemical dopamine.
As a part of the study to prove their theory, the team tested the DNA of 148 male and female students to find variations in the gene.
They also asked the students to complete a questionnaire, which included questions such as whether they felt aroused when they saw a steamy scene in a film, how often they made love and the frequency that they thought about sex, to assess their sex drive.
They study found that though men generally think about sex more often than women, however overall both genders experience similar levels of arousal.
Going a step further, they researched the different genetic make up of the students, and found that those with one particular variation of the D4 gene - around 30 per cent - had a stronger sex drive than the others.
Lead researcher Professor Richard Ebstein of Hebrew University said that the study showed that genes may have a 'substantial contribution' into making people sex addicts.
"Some people really do think more about sex and place a greater importance on it than others and what our study suggests is that genes may make a substantial contribution to these differences," the Daily Mail quoted him, as saying.
Professor Ebstein hopes this study will not only open up new ways to tackle and treat sexual problems, but will also not send people with lower sexual drives straight to the therapists' office.
"If you have a lower sex drive, it does not necessarily mean you should go to see a sex therapist to see if something is wrong with you," he said.
"As long as it is not causing a problem in your life, may be you don't have a problem. If it does not bother you or interfere with your life, then maybe you are best to just live with it," he added.
The study is the first to identify a specific gene variation linked to sex drive.
Famous people who have owned up to being sex addicts include actor Michael Douglas, Kirk Douglas, and Oscar winner Halle Berry’s ex Eric Benet.
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