Don't just blame it on his friends if your hubby has suddenly started drinking more in recent times as scientists have now discovered neurons in a specific brain region that might be responsible for triggering a sudden uptick in alcohol consumption.

Researchers have long known that a region of the brain called the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) plays a role in behaviours related to alcohol use and consumption in general. Now, a team at the University of North Carolina's school of medicine has found a specific neural circuit that, when altered, caused animal models to drink less alcohol.