Beer gets into our heads, even before the alcohol has time to kick in. I remember quite vividly the first time I tried beer — I almost spit it out. Bitter, bubbly and generally bad, I didn't get why everyone seemed to be so enamored with it. Yet I, like so many people in the world, continued to drink it.
Have you ever wondered why we, as a species, consume alcoholic beverages even though they taste terrible at first? A new study suggests that despite the bitter taste, the chemicals in beer trigger the brain's reward system. This pleasurable effect might just explain why we're so willing to keep drinking past the first sip — until intoxication takes over, and we'll drink just about anything.
But more importantly, this new research, published today in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, may explain why some people can drink casually while others slip into alcoholism.
