A new study at the University of California, San Francisco found that male fruit flies that had been rejected drank, on average, four times more than those that had successfully mated. In the experiment, 24 male fruit flies were put in one of two situations — either in a vial with female fruit flies ready to mate or in one with female fruit flies who already had. Then, after four days, they were given the opportunity to choose between plain food and food that had been spiked with alcohol.
Though researchers expected all of the flies to prefer alcohol-laced food, they found that the males who had successfully mated passed on the boozy food. The rejected males, however, displayed a clear preference for it. On average, the rejected male flies "drank" four times more alcohol than those that had mated.
The team shows that a signalling chemical called neuropeptide F (NPF) in the fly's brain underpins this behaviour. Males have low levels of NPF if they are denied sex, and this apparently drives them to seek rewards in alcohol. Given extra NPF artificially, however, even a sex-starved male fly will turn away from the drink.
A similar signalling chemical, called neuropeptide Y (NPY), acts in the human brain - and studies are already under way to see whether NPY levels are linked to preference for alcohol or addictive drugs.
Generally speaking, the study was looking to better understand the brain's "reward" pathway functionality, and "trying to get into the molecular mechanisms of what makes social interaction rewarding for animals."
[ Study text ]
Though researchers expected all of the flies to prefer alcohol-laced food, they found that the males who had successfully mated passed on the boozy food. The rejected males, however, displayed a clear preference for it. On average, the rejected male flies "drank" four times more alcohol than those that had mated.
The team shows that a signalling chemical called neuropeptide F (NPF) in the fly's brain underpins this behaviour. Males have low levels of NPF if they are denied sex, and this apparently drives them to seek rewards in alcohol. Given extra NPF artificially, however, even a sex-starved male fly will turn away from the drink.
A similar signalling chemical, called neuropeptide Y (NPY), acts in the human brain - and studies are already under way to see whether NPY levels are linked to preference for alcohol or addictive drugs.
Generally speaking, the study was looking to better understand the brain's "reward" pathway functionality, and "trying to get into the molecular mechanisms of what makes social interaction rewarding for animals."
[ Study text ]
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