Emotions are often implicit undertones to our communication interactions, and decoding them requires substantial social and cognitive abilities. Prior research has shown that chronic alcoholics often demonstrate impaired socio-cognitive and communicative abilities as well as emotion-related behaviors. Male alcoholics in particular suffer from dysfunctions in empathy. A study of the ability of chronic male alcoholics to recognize the emotional component of irony in relation to their empathic abilities has found a clear deficit. 

Results will be published in the February 2013 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Researchand are currently available at Early View.

Read more: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/252579.php