Brain study shows why alcoholics fall off the wagon again and again

A new University of Sussex study adds to our understanding of why recovering alcoholic patients find it so hard to give up boozing for good. Researchers looked at the behaviour and brain activity of alcoholic patients who had recently undergone detoxification, and found that the very act of detoxification from alcohol results in damage to the areas of the brain that veto spontaneous desire - such as the desire to drink. And the really bad news is that repeated detoxifications cause further damage, making it even harder for alcoholics to remain dry. Experimental psychologist Professor Dora Duka led research in which alcoholic patients or healthy social drinker volunteers were tasked with pressing the space bar on a keyboard every time either of two abstract patterns appeared on a screen. For each correct press, they received 10p. The researchers then introduced an 'incentive conflict': every now and then both patterns were presented at the same time. However, pressing the space bar on these occasions resulted in losing 10p.