A new study by neuroscientists at the University of Pennsylvania has shown that a strong desire to achieve a goal in people reduces the risks of drinking. The results of the study were published in the journal. magazine dependence.
The authors recruited a sample of 54 college students. Excessive alcohol consumption is common among members of this social group and often leads to various complications such as cardiovascular disease or cancer. According to the scientists, their discovery will help develop new strategies to combat alcoholism.
All participants in the study were surveyed daily for one month about purposefulness, as well as cravings for alcohol and the amount of alcohol consumed. The students also underwent a brain MRI procedure in which participants were shown pictures of alcohol or partying. The researchers analyzed the participants’ brain activity in the ventral striatum, a brain region previously associated with reward and craving.
The results showed that subjects whose brains were more active when they saw a photo of alcohol were more likely to drink after feeling craving. Comparing the MRI data with the survey data, the researchers found that people who were sensitive to drinking did not drink more if they had a strong desire to achieve a life goal. In contrast, less purposeful participants were more likely to drink.
Source: Gazeta
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