What do Male Fruit Flies Do When Sexually Frustrated?

According to a study from the journal Science and reported in the New York Times, when male fruit flies face rejection, they self medicate with alcohol to drown their sorrows. Yes, that right, much as their human counterparts, when male fruit flies strike out with members of the opposite sex, they too are likely to turn to alcohol to ease the hurt.

The experiment that took place in a glass tube subjected male fruit flies to females – some of whom were not interested in the amorous advances of some the male flies. Those who got lucky didn’t choose food set out that was spiked with alcohol. The ones who were rejected, however, were more likely to eat the food spiked with alcohol. The study allegedly chose virgin flies in the one experiment since they were more likely to be interested in the advances of a potential mate. Once they were sexual sated, though, meh – not so much. The rejected ones were left to drown their sorrows in alcohol. Sound familiar?

And the moral of the story? As a species it would appear we’re not that different.

Dr. Markus Heilig, the clinical director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Institute on Drug Abuse said the fruit fly study was like looking back in time to see the origins of the reward circuit that drives fundamental behaviors like sex, eating and sleeping.

The study, posted online in the journal Science, links the chemicals in the brain that predict addiction to stress levels. Previous studies have reportedly shown that mice, rats and monkeys drink more after periods of isolation, as do mice that are bullied or are victims of aggression. Now we know flies do the same when sexually frustrated.