Biphasic alcohol response differs in heavy versus light drinkers.
BACKGROUND
Most studies of risk factors for alcohol-related problems have focused on biological family history as a primary risk factor. However, other factors, such as early-age heavy drinking, are also risk factors for sustained or progressive heavy consumption. Little is currently known about the mechanisms underlying binge or heavy drinking.


METHODS
This study examined the acute subjective and objective effects of ethanol in heavy drinkers versus light drinkers. Thirty-four subjects participated in this within-subjects study consisting of three early-evening testing sessions in which subjects consumed a beverage containing either 0.8 or 0.4 g/kg ethanol or placebo.


RESULTS
Compared with lighter drinkers, heavy drinkers were more sensitive to the positive stimulant-like effects of ethanol (p < 0.05), especially during the increasing limb of the blood alcohol curve. Heavy drinkers also showed less sedation and cortisol response after alcohol than the light drinkers (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that young adult binge drinkers show a biphasic alcohol response, with heightened sensitivity to stimulant-like alcohol effects and greater tolerance to sedative alcohol effects compared with their light-drinking counterparts.
King
Andrea C
AC
University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Illinois 60637, USA. aking@yoda.bsd.uchicago.edu
Houle
Tim
T
de Wit
Harriet
H
Holdstock
Louis
L
Schuster
Alyson
A
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male
D000431:Ethanol; D006854:Hydrocortisone