Gene May Influence Drinking in Social Settings

Do you find yourself drinking more heavily when you are out with friends? There may be a gene for that.

ScienceNews reported July 16 that Dutch researchers found that adults who had the long form of the dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4) drank substantially more in social settings than those who had the regular version of the gene. “Carriers of the long gene may be more attuned to, and influenced by, another person's heavy drinking than noncarriers are,” said Helle Larsen of Radboud University Nijmegen.

Experts said the findings could also apply to drugs other than alcohol, as well.

The study was published in the journal Psychological Science.