Inebriated flies say a thing or two about alcohol sensitivity

London, Oct 31 (UNI) A study of drunk flies has revealed why drinking alcohol can make some feel dizzy and others not.

A study published in the journal Genome Biology reveals that a a person's sensitivity to alcohol is all in the genes.

Researchers bred two groups of fruit flies for over 25 generations, classifying them as those highly sensitive to alcohol (lightweights) and those highly resistant to it(lushes).

Like humans, fruit flies can get 'drunk'. The intoxicated flies show movement problems, loss of postural control, and sleepiness.

The genetic makeup of each kind was analysed to see the differences.

The flies were exposed to alcohol vapours and as they became inebriated, they fell from platform to platform until they became so intoxicated that they collapsed to the bottom of the inebriometer, where they were collected.

The most extreme lushweights or lushes were let to mate to develop flies with different sensitivities.

The resulting lightweights needed just a minute or two of exposure to booze to descend to the bottom of the inebriometer while the lushes could withstand a hefty dose for about 18 minutes.

The research revealed 32 mutated genes that directly affected sensitivity to alcohol, the Daily Telegraph reported.

UNI