FOR THE LOVE OF WINE
LOVE is supposed to conquer all. And one day it may save you from making a fool of yourself on a night out with your beloved. Scientists from the University of Sydney have found the hormone that induces feelings of love and intimacy, oxytocin, can also counter the intoxicating effects of alcohol in rats. The researchers plan next to test oxytocin’s sobering effect on people, noting its potential to treat alcohol dependence. Often referred to as the “love hormone”, oxytocin plays an important role in many behaviors, including bonding between mothers and their babies. However, there is also a long history of research into its interactions with alcohol. In this latest study, University of Sydney researcher Michael Bowen and his team examined the direct impact oxytocin had on specific regions of the brain affected by alcohol.
They found rats that were given a dose of oxytocin before consuming a large dose of alcohol – the human equivalent of drinking a bottle of wine in a few hours – passed the rodent version of sobriety tests with flying colors. They were virtually indistinguishable from sober rodents, Dr. Bowen said. Further investigation suggested oxytocin blocked alcohol from influencing the areas of the brain that facilitate the drug’s intoxicating effects such as reducing co-ordination and fine motor control. His previous research had shown oxytocin can also reduce the amount of alcohol rodents consumed in the short and long term, which reduces the chance the chemical’s sobering effects would encourage people to drink more.
While the influence of alcohol on a rat brain closely resembles the mechanics in human brains, more research is needed to determine if oxytocin can also block the intoxicating effect of alcohol in people. Psychologist and researcher Adam Guastella from the university’s Brain & Mind Research Institute, who has also done research on oxytocin and alcohol, said while animal studies helped uncover basic mechanisms of disease, in the case of mental illness, most studies that have found an effective drug treatment do not translate to a medication for humans. “The human work needs to be conducted before anyone gets too excited about the potential of a new medication,” said Dr. Guastella, who was not involved in this study.
