Researchers map out a cellular mechanism that offers a biological explanation for alcoholism, and could lead to treatments
You can lead a lab rat to sugar water, but you can’t make him drink—especially if there’s booze around.
New research published Thursday in Science may offer insights into why some humans who drink alcohol develop an addiction whereas most do not. After caffeine, alcohol is the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world. For the majority of people the occasional happy hour beer or Bloody Mary brunch is where it stops. Yet we all know that others will drink compulsively, despite whatever consequence or darkness it brings.