In this episode, Shivani sits down with Dr. Catharine Fairbairn an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology who heads the Alcohol Research Laboratory, to uncover the neuroscience behind alcohol use and addiction.

They dive into how social and emotional rewards drive drinking behavior, why alcohol’s “feel-good” effects are so fleeting, and how new research tools like eye tracking, transdermal sensors, and EEG hyperscanning are helping scientists understand the brain on booze.

🧠 Key Terms

Reward Pathways:Neural circuits—especially involving dopamine—that reinforce behaviors by linking them to feelings of pleasure or satisfaction. Alcohol briefly activates these pathways, which can promote repeated use.

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC):A measure of how much alcohol is in your bloodstream. The euphoric “buzz” usually occurs only as BAC is increasing—once it peaks or declines, sedation and fatigue take over.

Transdermal Sensors:Wearable devices that detect alcohol secreted through the skin, offering continuous readings of alcohol levels without requiring breath tests.

Neural Coupling:A measure of how synchronized two people’s brain activity is during social interaction. Dr. Fairbairn uses EEG to study whether alcohol makes brains more or less in sync.

Hedonic Dysregulation Model:A theory suggesting that with repeated alcohol use, the brain’s baseline mood shifts downward—meaning people drink not to feel good, but just to feel normal.