Drunk monkeys

Over the summer, the RAD bloggers are taking some time off for a well-deserved holiday. To keep you up to date with interesting topics relating to smoking, alcohol, drugs and diet, we will be sharing some of our past blog posts and sci-flies with you again.

*Disclaimer: Please note that parts of this sci-fly have been automatically translated.*

Scientific articles often begin by stating that alcohol consumption is widely accepted in the (Western) world. Indeed, of all existing drugs, alcohol is by far the most widely used worldwide. However, it remains a drug with significant negative consequences1. In the Netherlands, for example, alcohol accounts for 45% of requests for help in addiction care2. This amounted to approximately 30,000 requests for help in 2015! In addition, 931 young people under the age of 18 were admitted to hospital in 20161. Despite these consequences, the vast majority (77%) of the Dutch population drinks alcohol. The fact that alcohol is accepted remains an intriguing thought; where does our drinking behaviour come from in the first place? How has alcohol found its way into the human diet? And to what extent does the history of alcohol consumption relate to contemporary drinking behaviour?

Perhaps our ancestors had more to do with it than we realise. In February 2017, National Geographic published an article focusing on the history of our alcohol consumption. The article can be found HERE. The gist of the article is that, in ancient times, hominids consumed overripe fruits that contained alcohol as a result of the fermentation process. These fruits provided the most calories, which was the most attractive option from an evolutionary perspective. However, in doing so, our ancestors also came into contact with the intoxicating effects of alcohol. This phenomenon still occurs in the animal kingdom today. This ‘drunken ape’ theory4 may have led humans to develop genetic traits that enable the body to process alcohol more effectively.

But why is this history relevant to our drinking habits in 2017, and to the research being conducted into drinking behaviour? The fact that our brains responded positively to the properties of alcohol—which, historically, was available only in limited quantities—may now partly determine our motives for drinking alcohol or whether someone develops an alcohol addiction. In addition, various customs, such as drinking alcohol at a birthday party, have been passed down from generation to generation. This is also what contemporary research shows: alcohol consumption and alcohol addiction are partly dependent on an individual’s genetic makeup5, but are also partly explained by the environment in which one grows up6.

So, history shows that both genes and environment are important. This is now frequently confirmed by research. Alcohol consumption often begins in adolescence¹ and this often takes place at home⁷ or is influenced by upbringing. Various studies show that upbringing (for example, rules and the presence of alcohol at home)6 can influence whether young people start drinking alcohol earlier or later. Interaction with friends who drink alcohol also plays a role. The environment plays a particularly significant role in the early stages of drinking behaviour, with genes playing a greater role as alcohol consumption becomes heavier and more problematic5.

All in all, National Geographic paints a vivid picture of how alcohol has carved out a place in society and how entire traditions revolve around alcohol. But what does this teach us? This perspective offers an interesting angle for explaining (excessive) alcohol consumption and the strong position alcohol occupies within our society.

One conclusion that can be drawn from this is that the ‘drunken monkey’ is still somewhere within us, and that alcohol consumption is partly in our nature. However, our genetic makeup cannot be altered, which means we must focus on the environment. And this is where research comes in: for example, we are working to determine the role of exposure to drinking behaviour in the family environment and how this influences young people’s alcohol consumption. If we can identify what causes young people to start drinking and, later in life, to drink more heavily, we can further tailor programmes such as NIX18 to the factors that lead to alcohol consumption among young people.

References

1. Van Dorsselaer, S., Tuithof, M., Verdurmen, J., Spit, M., van Laar. M., & Monshouwer, K. (2015). Jeugd en riskant gedrag 2015. Kerngegevens uit het peilstationsonderzoek scholieren. Utrecht: Trimbos-instituut; 2016.
2. Wisselink, D., Kuijpers, W., & Mol, A (2015). Kerncijfers verslavingszorg 2015. Houten, Stichting Informatie Voorziening Zorg.
3. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/02/alcohol-discovery-addiction-booze-human-culture/
4. Dudley, R. (2002). Fermenting fruit and the historical ecology of ethanol ingestion: is alcoholism in modern humans an evolutionary hangover?. Addiction, 97(4), 381-388. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1360-0443.2002.00002.x
5. Vink, J. M. (2016). Zit middelengebruik en verslavingsgedrag in de familie? Over erfelijkheid en de zoektocht naar genen. Verslaving, 12, 243-255. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12501-016-0089-3
6. Van der Vorst, H., Engels, R.C.M.E., & Burk, W.J. (2010). Do parents and best friends influence the normative increase in adolescents’ alcohol use at home and outside the home? J Stud Alcohol Drugs, 71(1), 105–14. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.2010.71.105
7. Mayer, R.R., Forster, J.L., Murray, D.M., & Wagenaar, A.C. (1998). Social settings and situations of underage drinking. J Stud Alcohol,59(2), 207–15. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsa.1998.59.207

This blog was written on the 1st of May 2017 by Koen Smit (Radboud University / Trimbos Instituut) for RAD-blog, the blog about smoking, alcohol, drugs and diet.