“Our study explored what we call in the field ‘the dark side’ of alcohol addiction,” Roberto stated. “That’s the compulsion to drink, not because it is pleasurable — which has been the focus of much previous research — but because it relieves the anxiety generated by abstinence and the stressful effects of withdrawal.”

The hormone, known as corticotropin-releasing factor, plays a role in the body’s response to stress and is found in the brain.

Romero stated it’s possible that blocking the hormone “may prevent excessive alcohol consumption under a variety of behavioral and physiological conditions.”

The researchers also found that rats exposed to the hormone-suppressing chemical did not become immune to the chemical’s effects over time. That suggests that people might be able to take it repeatedly without facing a loss of effectiveness.

Still, rats aren’t people, and it’s possible that humans will not act the same way when exposed to the chemical.

The findings will appear in an upcoming print edition of the journal Biological Psychiatry.