title: Acute moderate alcohol consumption affects cardiovascular responses in healthy males with different tolerance levels.
abstract: We investigated the effect of acute moderate alcohol consumption or placebo on respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) in 48 healthy participants with different levels of alcohol tolerance but no abuse. In the electrocardiogram recording, auditory stimuli were presented at defined points in the respiratory cycle, which allows a non-invasive measure of CNS control over RSA. After alcohol consumption we found a decrease in RSA with auditory stimulation. Moreover, individuals with low tolerance showed only a slight change in the RSA after alcohol intake compared to baseline, whereas the placebo drink led to a reduced RSA. In subjects with high alcohol tolerance, alcohol consumption led to a reduction of RSA, with no change after placebo. These results suggest a centrally driven influence on RSA that is changed by alcohol ingestion depending upon subjects' levels of alcohol tolerance.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Tilma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schulte
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Warzel
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Westphal
authors.forename: Eva M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Müller-Oehring
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Strasburger
authors.forename: Jutta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dierkes
authors.forename: Bernhard A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Sabel
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001146:Arrhythmia, Sinus / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects*; D012306:Risk; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D008074:Lipoproteins