Science has gone and done it again – this time it’s discovered why certain people can’t hold their booze.
Apparently some people are just genetically predisposed to commit reckless and impulsive behaviour when they’re drunk, The Independent reported.
Scientists found there’s a genetic mutation that’s linked to impulsivity when drunk, which could explain why some people can’t hold their drink, and start acting like a dickhead when they’ve consumed only a small amount of alcohol (you know who you are).
According to Roope Tikkanen, a psychiatrist at the University of Helsinki in Finland:
The results also indicate that persons with this mutation are more impulsive by nature even when sober, and they are more likely to struggle with self-control or mood disorders.
The genetic mutation was discovered during a study on the role of a serotonin 2b receptor protein – previous research had also linked it to impulsive behaviour.
And this latest study discovered that about 2.2 per cent of the Finnish population actually carry the mutated gene, meaning you need to be careful when getting drunk with about 100,000 Finns, as they might get a bit wild.
The study was published in the Translational Psychiatry journal, and its findings might lead to drugs or treatment being invented to combat severe impulsive behaviour.
At the very least it might mean genetic tests could be created to warn carriers about the dangers of drinking alcohol.