Scientists suggest, that a genetic mutation may be behind what makes people drink excessively and be alcoholics.

Research on mice published in Nature Communications showed that mice with a normal Gabrb1 gene showed no interest in consuming alcohol, and drank little or no alcohol when offered a choice between water or diluted alcohol, CBS News reports.

Mice with a mutation on their Gabrb1 gene guzzled down the alcohol more freely when it was offered.

Co-lead author Dr. Quentin Anstee, consultant hepatologist at Newcastle University in England, said in a press release, "We are continuing our work to establish whether the gene has a similar influence in humans, though we know that in people alcoholism is much more complicated as environmental factors come into play. But there is the real potential for this to guide development of better treatments for alcoholism in the future."

About one out of six people in the U.S. have an alcohol problem, according to government estimates.