London, Feb. 7: A gene mutation that increases the likelihood of becoming drunk on just one drink has been discovered.

Scientists were studying rats but believe that tolerance levels to alcohol may be genetically wired in people, too, and could eventually help identify children and adults at a higher risk of developing a drink problem.

Alcohol interferes with how brain cells communicate with one another, resulting in lack of co-ordination, grogginess, impaired memory and loss of inhibition associated with drunkenness. Yet researchers have been unable to pinpoint how alcohol causes this disruption in the brain.

Now scientists at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA have deciphered how a naturally occurring gene mutation in rats? brains lowers the animals? tolerance to alcohol, leading to rapid and acute intoxication after the equivalent of one drink.