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CHEERS! If you want to counteract the effects of getting drunk, a shot of the 鈥渃uddle chemical鈥� oxytocin might be the answer.
Oxytocin plays a role in sexual behaviour and social bonding. While investigating the chemical鈥檚 known effect on alcohol cravings, Michael Bowen from the University of Sydney, Australia, noticed something strange 鈥� rats given a dose of it didn鈥檛 seem to get drunk.
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鈥淭hose that had the oxytocin were up and moving about as if they hadn鈥檛 had any alcohol at all, whereas the ones that didn鈥檛 have oxytocin were quite heavily sedated,鈥� Bowen says.
The chemical appears to counteract alcohol by binding to GABA receptors in the brain, the same ones on which alcohol exerts its intoxicating effects (PNAS, ). Bowen hopes his findings will lead to a drug that doesn鈥檛 just prevent drunkenness, but also helps alcoholics cope with withdrawal.
However, the effects in rats weren鈥檛 limitless. While oxytocin prevented drunkenness in those that had been given the equivalent of a bottle and a half of wine, its effects did not extend as far as the rat-sized equivalent of a whole bottle of vodka.
This article appeared in print under the headline 鈥淗ormone stops rats from getting drunk鈥�