A group of geneticists from the University of Helsinki, led by Roope Tikkanen, discovered that aggression after drinking was linked to a mutation in the 5-HT2B gene.
When tested locally, this mutation was found in 2.2% of Finns.
Scientists have found out why people in a state of alcoholic intoxication began to behave aggressively.
For comparison, they analyzed data on Finnish families in which some people behaved aggressively when drunk, while others remained calm. All study participants drank in moderation and none of them were alcoholics.
It turned out that a 5-HT2B gene mutation was present in the genome of drinkers who began to show aggression. The mutation leads to disruption of the assembly of serotonin receptors, which interferes with the normal transmission of serotonin signals in the brain.
Moreover, it was the mutation carriers that were more often stopped for drunk driving.
Other studies conducted by scientists from different countries have shown that carriers of this mutation were more impulsive and less in control when sober.