Scientists Link Alcohol with Drunken Behavior

After repeated tests and lengthy scientific analysis, researchers at the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse have discovered a link between alcohol and drunken behavior. “A significant correlation can be drawn between alcohol intake and foolish behavior,” says one leading scientist.

Others report that distilled spirits seem to take affect much quicker than brewed beverages and often the participant subjects will pass out before the test is even complete. “Performance becomes an issue” when those being tested were asked to do more than to sit on a barstool or awkardly talk in a very loud voice.

Yes, I was being silly but this parody came to mind after reading this story detailing how scientists have learned that drinking dampens the ability to feel fear. Let's get real here, I don’t need a government grant and a scientific laboratory to understand that copious amounts of alcohol will make one bullet proof!

Fortunately there is far more to this story than just the headline, they are actually making considerable headway in the field of addiction science.

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The scientist are doing more than just “proving” that alcohol can reduce the fear response, with advanced brain imaging they are learning the how and why of this occurence.

The fMRI scanner, meanwhile, tracked the levels of activity in parts of the brain where emotions are processed. The researchers found that alcohol boosted activity in the parts of the brain that deal with rewards, but it also dampened activity in areas devoted to fear. "This helps us understand a little more about how the brain works, and how alcohol functions as a drug in the brain," Hommer said. ~ MSN

Researchers say that these types of test can lead to the development of drugs that may reduce the tendency of people to abuse alcohol. Similar studies are being used to better understand the process of both relapse and recovery. Findings from these studies could also affect the future treatment of obesity, depression, and even improve education… much more than the goofy headlines would led me to initially believe.