Scientists identify brain circuit linking isolation to male alcohol craving

Scientists studied whether being alone changes how mice drink alcohol.

They kept some mice together and housed others by themselves.

Lonely male mice drank more alcohol, especially after a week.

Lonely female mice drank less alcohol.

The researchers found that a brain connection involving emotion and decision-making areas became more active in male mice.

When scientists switched on this connection with pulses of light, non-lonely male mice also drank more.

This suggests that the brain circuit may help explain why isolation can increase drinking in males.

More research is needed to learn whether the same process happens in people.