Study reveals new alcoholic genes

April 18, 2006

U.S. government researchers say they have identified new genes that may contribute to excessive alcohol consumption.

Researchers supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism say their study -- conducted with strains of animals that have either a high or low innate preference for alcohol -- provides clues about the molecular mechanisms that underlie the tendency to drink heavily.

"These findings provide a wealth of new insights into the molecular determinants of excessive drinking, which could lead to a better understanding of alcoholism," notes NIAAA Director Dr. Ting-Kai Li.

A full report of the findings appears in the April 18 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Rate this story - 3.3 /5 (8 votes)

rank
1
2
3
4
5

view popular

Other News

Loud and lazy but didn't chew gum: Ancient koalas

Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils

3 hours ago | not rated yet | 0

Skull fragments of prehistoric koalas from the Riversleigh rainforests of millions of year ago suggest they shared the modern koala's "lazy" lifestyle and ability to produce loud "bellowing" calls to attract mates and provide ...

Of girls and geeks: Environment may be why women don't like computer science

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Dec 14, 2009 | 3.6 / 5 (17) | 21

(PhysOrg.com) -- In real estate, it's location, location, location. And when it comes to why girls and women shy away from careers in computer science, a key reason is environment, environment, environment.

Research finds happiest US States match a million Americans' own happiness states

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Dec 17, 2009 | 2 / 5 (6) | 7

New research by the UK's University of Warwick and Hamilton College in the US into the happiness levels of a million individual US citizens have revealed their personal happiness levels closely correlate ...

Efforts to save endangered languages

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Dec 14, 2009 | 4.4 / 5 (11) | 8

(PhysOrg.com) -- There are an estimated 6,500 languages in the world, with around fifty percent of them endangered and likely to cease to exist by 2100, but efforts are now being made to save them from extinction.

DNA of Jesus-era shrouded man in Jerusalem reveals earliest case of leprosy

Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils

Dec 16, 2009 | 3.8 / 5 (13) | 6

The DNA of a 1st century shrouded man found in a tomb on the edge of the Old City of Jerusalem has revealed the earliest proven case of leprosy. Details of the research will be published December 16 in the ...