Alcohol's effects on pair bond maintenance in male prairie voles

Previous research in our laboratory has shown that when male prairie voles consume large amounts of alcohol, that it leads to a disruption in pair bond formation. However, a majority of human literature explores the effects alcohol has on relationships that have already been established. The human literature has shown that a discrepancy in alcohol consumption leads to higher divorce rates, compared to couples in which both spouses consume heavy amounts of alcohol together. It is important to develop an animal model to understand the biological underpinnings of alcohol ’s effects on established bonds to lead to better treatment and prevention alternatives.
Source: Alcohol - Category: Addiction Authors: Source Type: research