Alcoholic Mice Live to Drink

A new line of mice, bred to prefer alcohol over all other beverages, is expected to offer insight into the role genetics and lifestyle play in alcoholism.

Researchers in Indiana have bred mice to prefer alcohol to other beverages, a development expected to give insight into alcoholism in humans.

The mice reached blood-alcohol levels equivalent to three times over the legal driving limit for humans, a level approximate to the the severe alcoholism in humans.

Mice share around 80% of the genes with humans. Researchers hope the mice will allow them to explore predisposing factors for excessive alcohol consumption, as well as behavioural and physiological changes that follow alcohol exposure.

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