Study: Even a sip of beer can trigger dopamine release

PET scans show that just a small amount of brew can light up the brain's pleasure centers

Homer beer
(Image credit: lifeisajoke.com)

Not everyone loves the taste of beer, but nonetheless, a new study suggests that letting the sudsy stuff tickle your taste buds can trigger very positive reactions in the brain's pleasure centers... even when alcohol is removed from the equation.

According to the new study, published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, giving participants a small taste of the beer they enjoy the most was correlated with the release of dopamine, "a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain's reward-and-pleasure centers," says U.S. News.

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Chris Gayomali is the science and technology editor for TheWeek.com. Previously, he was a tech reporter at TIME. His work has also appeared in Men's Journal, Esquire, and The Atlantic, among other places. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.