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  Life   More Features  20 Apr 2018  Experiment reveals flies find sex enjoyable and consume alcohol in its absence

Experiment reveals flies find sex enjoyable and consume alcohol in its absence

THE ASIAN AGE
Published : Apr 20, 2018, 3:56 pm IST
Updated : Apr 20, 2018, 3:56 pm IST

It also sheds light on how substance addiction works as drugs use the same system in brains which are used to process natural rewards.

The experiment showed how male flies who hadn’t ejaculated for days opted for alcoholic meals (Photo: AFP)
 The experiment showed how male flies who hadn’t ejaculated for days opted for alcoholic meals (Photo: AFP)

Sex is an important as well as enjoyable activity for human beings as absence of it is known to have several physical and psychological effects. But other species too enjoy having sex and not getting it also causes certain consequences.

Scientists have found that fruit flies enjoy sex and when they are starved of the pleasure they seek satisfaction from alcohol. The experiment explains how ejaculation as a rewarding activity is a universal phenomenon.

The experiment showed how male flies who hadn’t ejaculated for days opted for alcoholic meals. It also sheds light on how substance addiction works as drugs use the same system in brains which are used to process natural rewards.

The results here indicate that an animal’s sexual state determines the need to consume substances like alcohol.

Tags: physical intimacy, pleasure, flies, alcohol