Explanations of addiction in terms of genetics, brain dysfunction, and biochemical patterns are termed ________.

• A. Genetic and biophysiological theories
• B. Dysfunctional central nervous system theories
• C. Psychoactive theories
• D. Biological theories

Answer: (A)

Addiction can be explained through biological factors that shape vulnerability and brain chemistry. When explanations focus on genetics, brain dysfunction, and biochemical patterns, they are describing genetic and biophysiological theories. This label directly signals both inherited factors and physiological processes—neurotransmitter systems, receptor changes, and neural circuits involved in reward and reinforcement—that underlie substance use disorders, making it the best fit for the description.

Biological theories is a broader umbrella, but the prompt’s emphasis on genetics and biophysiology points to the more specific genetic and biophysiological term. The other options don’t fit as well because they either zero in on a narrower aspect (dysfunctional central nervous system theories), reference the drugs rather than explanations of addiction (psychoactive theories), or use a broad category without explicitly highlighting the genetic and physiological focus (biological theories).