A team of British scientists is on the trail of "drinkers' genes" that may help turn people into alcoholics, it was disclosed today.
The brains of heavy drinkers are thought to adapt to alcohol by switching on dormant genes to counteract its effects.
That is one reason why some people appear to get drunk less easily than others. But experts think once these genes are activated, the brain may then need alcohol to work efficiently.
This could be why alcoholics often cannot face the day without an early morning drink.
Scientists at the Sussex Centre for Research into Alcohol and Alcoholism and Drug Addiction are now trying to find out which genes are switched on by alcohol.
Their findings may help explain why certain individuals are prone to fall prey to drink.
The team, based at Sussex University in Brighton, will look at how alcohol affects the genes of fruit flies, which are surprisingly similar to humans in their genetic make-up.
People have only twice as many genes as the 15,000 found in the fruit fly, and about half the insect's genes have human counterparts.
Many of the basic biological processes in all animals, from worms and flies to humans, use the same sets of genes.
Experimental psychologist Professor David Stephens said: "Alcohol-related problems cause enormous unhappiness and are an enormous drain on our health and social services.
"Hopefully, this research will help give us a better understanding of alcoholism and perhaps pave the way for eventual treatments."
PA