Heavy alcohol use is not associated with disinhibition in young males
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1
University of New South Wales, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Australia
Background: We investigated the possibility of sex differences in the relationship between heavy alcohol use and deficits in behavioural control in a sample of males, with identical recruitment criteria and protocol to our previously presented sample of females.
Methods: Participants were 41 males aged 18-21, who either drank heavily regularly (i.e., four standard drinks on one occasion, at least once a month, n = 20) or drank heavily less often than this (including never, n = 21). Previous history of alcohol use was assessed before completion of a stop-signal task while EEG was recorded.
Results: Male heavy drinkers showed no differences to controls for any behavioural performance (probability of inhibition, stop-signal reaction time, Go accuracy or Go RT) or event-related potential measure (P3 to failed and successful inhibition trials, and ERN amplitudes). There were no significant relationships between these measures and questionnaire scores indicating hazardous and harmful drinking.
Conclusions: Deficits in inhibitory processing associated with heavy drinking, previously established in females, appear to be absent in males. Future research may determine whether this sex difference is also apparent for other substances of abuse.
Keywords:
alcohol,
error negativity,
hazardous drinkers,
Inhibitory Control,
stop-signal task,
successful inhibition
Conference:
Australasian Society for Psychophysiology, Inc, Coffs Harbour, Australia, 26 Nov - 28 Nov, 2014.
Presentation Type:
Oral Presentation
Topic:
Psychophysiology
Citation:
Smith
JL,
Iredale
JM and
Mattick
RP
(2014). Heavy alcohol use is not associated with disinhibition in young males.
Conference Abstract:
Australasian Society for Psychophysiology, Inc.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2014.216.00001
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Received:
19 Sep 2014;
Published Online:
02 Dec 2014.
*
Correspondence:
Dr. Janette L Smith, University of New South Wales, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia, janette.smith@unsw.edu.au