Researchers from the UK have found something that can actually drive mice to drinkand no, it isnt stress induced by narrowly dodging mousetraps on a daily basis.

A joint research project conducted on mice by students from five UK universitiesImperial College London, Newcastle University, UCL, University of Dundee, and University of Sussexhighlighted the effects of a gene called Gabrb1 on regulating alcohol consumption. The study revealed that a mutation in the gene caused mice to drink enough alcohol in 1 hour to render them intoxicated and unable to move properly.

Gabrb1, the alcohol-regulating gene

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the researchers found that ordinary mice had no special interest in alcoholic beverages, opting to go for a bottle of normal water over a bottle of diluted alcohol.

However, mice with a mutated Gabrb1 gene showed a strong preference for alcoholic beverages, even going as far as to consume about 85% of their daily fluid intake in the form of alcohol.

See more here:
Mutant genes may trigger alcoholism, study shows | SciTech ...

Comments are closed.