A novel study published in the July Online First edition of the journal Psychological Science has linked genetics as a vital factor that drives people to drink in social settings, etc.

The Dutch scientists revealed that one having a long version of the dopamine D4 7-repeat genotype is highly susceptible to indulge in excessive drinking.

The research spearheaded by Helle Larsen, a psychology graduate student at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands, posited the fact that the change is essential to be introduced as ones’ affinity to social drinking cues poses both negative as well as positive impacts.

The study involving 113 social drinkers as its participants, observed them during a pub lab. It found that non-carriers took half the amount of alcohol as against the carriers, when others were also taking drinks.

Saliva tests were reported to be used in a view to discern the 31 gene carriers for each participant.

The DRD4 7-repeat genotype is the culprit leading to boosted risk for drinking alcohol beyond safe levels or ones indulgence in abuse when spending time with heavy-drinking peers, the study claimed.

The researchers concluded, "whether or not people are wired to adapt their drinking to the choice and pace of others may partly depend on their genetic susceptibility to drinking cues".