Researchers at the University of North Carolina have identified a gene called CYP2EI that helps prevent or mitigate alcohol addiction.
The gene CYP2EI causes individuals to feel tipsy more quickly. As a result, carriers tend to stop drinking sooner, making them less likely to develop alcoholism.
Feeling drunk faster
For the study, scientists recruited over 400 participants, each with at least one alcoholic parent. Subjects consumed a cocktail equivalent to three glasses of spirits and reported if they felt sleepy or drunk.
10 to 20 percent of participants felt drunk more quickly than others. These individuals were the carriers of the CYP2EI gene.
The team aims to leverage this discovery to develop a medication that activates the gene, increasing sensitivity to alcohol to encourage moderated drinking. The gene also accelerates alcohol breakdown, aiding faster sobriety.
The findings are published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
Did you know? Men are twice as likely as women to be at risk for alcohol addiction, as their brains derive more pleasure from alcohol.
