on sex , drugs and satisfaction

Pleasure is not a human invention. Experiences that arouse a feeling of contentment are as old as life. They have, in fact, kept life going. It is yet another of Mother Nature’s tricks. If an organism perceives something as good, then it will do it again. If you want to keep a species going, the best way to do it is to reproduce. And, if the act of copulation is a pleasant experience, there’s a fair chance you’ll have another go at it. Eating, sex and social interactions are examples of acts most animals are accustomed to, and for which they are rewarded with a positive feeling. They also happen to be interactions which keep a species alive. But what happens when an animal meets frustration? Following rejection by a potential mate, for example? It finds some other way to quench its desires. Given the chance, Drosophila melanogaster will actually turn to alcohol if mating has been denied. Sex and alcohol are part of a highly complex reward system that has had plenty of time to evolve. Recently, scientists discovered the agent which orchestrates both behaviours: Neuropeptide F.