If you're in pain the morning after, you have a specific molecule in your brain to thank.
The brain-signalling molecule has been determined by scientists as the source of hangovers, according to a study from the University of Southampton School of Biological Sciences.
From studying worms - whose simple brains are similar in makeup to the human brain - the scientists were able to see how alcohol affects signalling in the brain, triggering withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, agitation and seizures, according to LiveScience.
"This research showed the worms displaying effects of the withdrawal of alcohol and enables us to define how alcohol affects signalling in nerve circuits which leads to changes in behavior," said professor and lead researcher Lindy Holden-Dye.
Small doses of alcohol during withdrawal - aka the "hair of the dog" cure - did help ease the worms' hangover symptoms, but scientists cautioned that this approach increases risk of alcohol dependency.
The study is the most specific to date in pinpointing exactly where and how alcohol consumption affects the nervous system and the brain, according to LiveScience.
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