Science & Technology

Genetically engineered worms can't get drunk

By T.K. Randall
July 18, 2014 ·  25 comments

Is the invention of a sobriety pill on the horizon ? Image Credit: sxc.hu Created by neuroscientists at the University of Texas, the worms never show any signs of drunkenness no matter how much alcohol their bodies absorb.

The key lies in the modification of what are known as "human alcohol targets", molecular channels that bind alcohol within the body and trigger all the usual behaviors that we tend to associate with intoxication.For the worms this type of drunken behavior tends to manifest as an inability to move around smoothly and a complete disinterest in procreation.

"This is the first example of altering a human alcohol target to prevent intoxication in an animal," said study author Jon Pierce-Shimomura. "We got pretty lucky and found a way to make the channel insensitive to alcohol without affecting its normal function."

It is believed that this research could one day lead to the development of a James Bond style sobriety pill, making it possible for a human to drink any quantity of alcohol without ever becoming drunk.

Source: Independent | Comments (25)

Tags: Worm, Alcohol, Sobriety