Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) appears to modify elements of alcoholism
... intoxication. In other words, violent acts while intoxicated might be due to genetic factors. The BDNF gene polymorphism might also play some role in vulnerability to alcohol withdrawal delirium." Matsushita believes these findings may not only help to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying violent b...Drunken elephants: The marula fruit myth
...at it is nearly impossible for elephants to become intoxicated from eating the fruit of the marula tree. "Elephants display many behavioral characteristics viewed as positive traits in humans, often causing us to identify with them in anthropomorphic ways," write Steve Morris, David Humphreys, and Dan Reynolds ...Study advances evidence for receptor's role in alcohol pleasure and problems
...other animals. Males with the variant also became intoxicated on almost 30 percent of testing days, while other animals did so only on an average of 8 percent of testing days. "The male-restricted effect of this gene is interesting, and parallels other recent evidence that opioid transmission may play a great...