Posted: December 12, 2003 at 8:20 a.m.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Ever wonder if worms can get drunk? Some researchers dug deep into this mystery and they're announcing today that they've discovered a gene responsible for drunkenness in worms.

It's not just the beginning of a bad bar joke. Researchers say the discovery could boost the fight against alcoholism.

The project took six years and is the work of Doctor Steven McIntire. McIntire says the drunken worms are easy to spot.

They move slower and more awkwardly than sober ones. And teetotaler worms form a neat S shape to power propulsion while drunken worms body's were straighter and less active.

The drunks laid fewer eggs, as well.

Because it's believed that alcohol effects all animals similarly, a single gene responsible for drunkenness in worms could ultimately be the same one in people.

(Copyright 2003 by the Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)