Chy

Interesting ariticle in today's paper about researchers studing alcoholism on worms. It took six years to figure this out? And if they do find a cure, really, what will it entail...Just curious today.

Posted: December 12, 2003 at 8:20 a.m.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Ever wonder if worms can get drunk? Some researchers dug deep into this mystery and they're announcing today that they've discovered a gene responsible for drunkenness in worms.

It's not just the beginning of a bad bar joke. Researchers say the discovery could boost the fight against alcoholism.

The project took six years and is the work of Doctor Steven McIntire. McIntire says the drunken worms are easy to spot.

They move slower and more awkwardly than sober ones. And teetotaler worms form a neat S shape to power propulsion while drunken worms body's were straighter and less active.

The drunks laid fewer eggs, as well.

Because it's believed that alcohol effects all animals similarly, a single gene responsible for drunkenness in worms could ultimately be the same one in people.

(Copyright 2003 by the Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) what will the cure entail? Just curious today!

Peter

Alcoholism is a "Spiritual" as well as a "Physical" illness.

I grieve sometimes to see learned men of science invest valuable resourses into finding a cure for a "physical " condition when I believe the answer lies in a "Spiritual " approach.

You cant cure a disease by treating the symptoms.

Alcoholic cravings are but symptoms of a much deeper problem.

Chy

Thank you Peter... was wondering if it was just me!

CarolD

Hi Chy...I caught the item on Atlantas news at 6 tonight. The idea is to i modify a particular brain protein so drinking will not create a high.

Heck..by the time I quit...my fun bottles had been empty for years.


I will continue to heal with AA. :shades:

Chy

Leave it to Carol! When in doubt seek out the expert! .. me too will continue with AA!*hugs*

docdave

Hi Chy...read the same article myself...it is well known that the ability to process alcohol once it reaches the biological system differs in populations across the world...for instance, take an old norwegian like me...could drink copious amounts and still function...until it turned on me...native americans and orientals generally do not process alcohol well...because in their genetics they can'nt convert ethanol to aldehydes like those from european ancestry can...there for--and there's always exceptions to the rule--it generally takes less for those cultures to feel the effects...There is a genetic component in all of our addictions...yet we insist on finding the one gene that's responsible for all addiction...and these genes differ to some extent in all of us...do we really think that finding one gene in a worm is going to solve this problem?...will this one gene solve the problems on the native american reservations...high unemployment...unadequate health care...depression...anxiety...etc...will it solve the spiritual disconnections that most of us have had to address...many of the emotional and spiritual issues in our lives have kept us drinking...now the way I see it...if we can assess these factors--body/mind/spirit--in the worm, if we can give the worm a new drug and get it to stop drinking...if we can assess the worm on the psychological level and help it get past the emotional issues...if we can help it reach a new level of spiritual attainment...if we can make sure that nutritional it gets a adequate diet and excercise daily...then by golly I'm all for it...I wonder if a chinese worm is genetically different than a european worm...mind boggling ain't it...dr dave

Rotten

LOL. Fine points well made Doc.

Music

San Francisco....why am I not surprised.
Hell, if genes were the problem, I'd have started shopping at the Gap a long time ago...:p

Bradley004

Peter, the more I read your posts the more I VALUE YOUR words. I too believe alcholism is a spiritual one. Thanks for sharing.

Bradley004

I feel the same way in terms of crimes in the world...ie. Columbine incident. Everyone wants to know why those kids did what they did...they scrutinize the parents, their family life, friends, bullied, not bullied, isolated, WHATEVER. I beleive the answer to most if not all problems of our characters lies in our spiritual connection to God.

Let's face it...we all don't think right, act right, do right without His direction and influence. Some people know this right off, some people never learn it but the effects of our denial to our accountability to God are everywhere. How far will we all go before we re-connect?