Alcohol effects on mood, equilibrium, and simulated driving.
BACKGROUND
The effects of alcohol on simple versus complex psychomotor performance were compared in 18 adults.


METHODS
Subjects received ethanol doses of 0.0, 0.5, and 0.8 g/kg in a randomized, double-blind, within-subject design. Forty minutes after finishing their drinking, the subjects completed a 60-min battery of tests that included: 1) a sensory organization posturography test (EquiTest); 2) latency to apply the brake after appearance of a barrier in a driving simulator (brake reaction time); 3) visual analog subjective-effects scales (VAS); 4) the Profile of Mood States (POMS); 5) critical flicker fusion (CFF); and 6) choice reaction time (CRT).


RESULTS
Alcohol dose dependently reduced composite equilibrium scores and increased brake reaction time. On the CRT task, total reaction time was significantly increased after the high dose but not the low dose. Alcohol dose dependently increased VAS "dizzy," "high," and "drug effect" ratings. The POMS and CFF were not significantly affected by alcohol.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that an ethanol dose that neither influences certain mood states nor impairs simple psychomotor task performance nonetheless may impair equilibrium and complex psychomotor tasks (e.g., driving).
Liguori
A
A
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27104, USA.
D'Agostino
R B
RB
Dworkin
S I
SI
Edwards
D
D
Robinson
J H
JH
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects*; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001944:Breath Tests; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000187:drug effects; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000187:drug effects*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012984:Software
D000431:Ethanol