Coming soon: Pill to tame the roving eye

Scientists believe they are on the verge of creating a pill to cure infidelity but are not sure if unfaithful people will willingly swallow the medication.

Up to a few years ago, it was thought that faithfulness was determined by morality, religion, culture or upbringing but researchers have since found the desire to cheat is deeply wired in a person’s genes.

In a study published in Psychology Today, research teams at Emory University in the United States studied the genetic makeup of the prairie vole, a monogamous rodent, and a closely related animal, the meadow vole that prefers a solitary but promiscuous life. Voles are sometimes called field mice.

Naughty male

The researchers injected a gene from the prairie vole into the promiscuous meadow vole and the results were quite telling.

The naughty male suddenly became a faithful husband, spending most of his time with one partner and being attentive to her every need.

Using this knowledge, researchers say it is just a matter of time before the pharmaceutical industry can create a fidelity pill.

Evidence that infidelity is in the genes and can actually be inherited came to the fore about six years ago after researchers writing in the journal Nature said they had found the hormone vasopressin to be responsible for the roving eye.