Scientists in Britain have discovered the way in which genetics make some teenagers more likely to become binge drinkers.
Researchers at King's College in London published their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
The scientists discovered the RASGRF-2 gene controls how the brain is stimulated by alcohol to release dopamine, a chemical that causes feelings of happiness and pleasure.
A variation of this gene causes the brain to release more dopamine than normal, meaning people with this variation have an incentive to drink heavily.
They studied a group of 663 teenage boys and found those with the variation drank more frequently than those without it.
Researcher Gunter Schummann says while more research is needed, the discovery may one day allow doctors and counsellors to screen children to find those most at risk of developing alcohol problems.
Solution far off - NZ researcher
However, Doug Sellman from New Zealand's National Addiction Centre at the University of Otago, Christchurch, says a genetic solution to binge drinking is still a long way off.
"There are probably three to 400 genes involved in the overall vulnerability to heavy drinking so it's a lot more complex than just identifying one or two genes and thinking that that's going to solve the problem."
Professor Sellman says while the discovery is a step forward for science the focus should be on fixing what hs says are environmental causes of heavy drinking, such as alcohol advertising and pricing.
