Scientists have reported the discovery of a gene which increases the chances of becoming addicted to cocaine.

Scientists now hope the gene could be used to screen for people who are most likely to get hooked if they ever try cocaine.

Raine Spanagel, a professor of psychopharmacology at the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim, Germany, told The Guardian: 'If you are a carrier of this gene variant, the likelihood of getting addicted to cocaine is higher.

'You can certainly use this as a vulnerability marker for cocaine addiction.'

It is unlikely to lead to a treatment for cocaine addicts, but Mr Spanagel said susceptible people could be offered counselling or given experimental vaccines designed to block the 'high' linked with the drug.

Scientists believe that genetic factors account for 70 per cent of cocaine addiction, whereas studies of twins indicated that alcoholism is about 50 per cent genetic.

Researchers studied mice that had been genetically modified to alter the CAMK4 gene.

One breed became addicted more quickly and was more affected by cocaine than others in the group, according to the study in the US journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

To see if the gene played a role in cocaine addiction in humans, the researchers ran genetic tests on 670 cocaine addicts and more than 700 matched non-users.

Half of the addicts were found to carry the gene, whereas 40 per cent of non-users carried it.

A study by the European Union's drug agency last week put Britain at the top of its list of cocaine-abusing states, with users of the drug outnumbering all those elsewhere on the continent.

Source: DailyMail