Drinking in a social setting triggers the release of dopamine, causing a euphoria that isn’t seen when drinking alone, according to a new study. By identifying the region of the brain stimulated by social drinking, the researchers hope it will lead to a greater understanding of problem drinking. Whereas drinking with friends or colleagues tends to be associated with good feelings and an upbeat mood, drinking alone conjures up visions of loneliness, depression, and, sometimes, .
It’s known that alcohol consumption causes dopamine to be released in the brain, causing a sense of euphoria. Indeed, chasing that alcohol-related dopamine high can lead to problem drinking. In a new study, researchers from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) examined the biological process behind social drinking, including dopamine’s role, and how it produces these positive feelings.
“Social settings influence how individuals react to alcohol, yet there is no mechanistic study on how and why this occurs,” said Kyung-An Han, PhD, a biologist at UTEP and the co-corresponding author of the study. To study the effect consuming alcohol in a social setting has on behavior, the researchers used intoxicated fruit flies or . It may seem like a strange choice, but, in reality, it’s not: we share about 75% of the same genes that cause human diseases.
The flies were exposed to ethanol vapor either alone or in a group setting, and their average speed was measured to determine the degree of ethano.