title: Constraints on information processing under alcohol in the context of response execution and response suppression.
abstract: This study tested the degree that alcohol restricts information processing on tasks requiring response execution and response suppression. A dual task required 12 participants to respond to 2 task stimuli (Tasks 1 and 2) presented in close succession. The task was performed before and after receiving 3 alcohol doses (placebo, 0.45 g/kg, and 0.65 g/kg) administered on separate days in a counterbalanced order. Alcohol increased task interference, as evidenced by increased time to respond to Task 2. Impairment was comparable regardless of whether Task 1 required a response to be executed or suppressed. The evidence supports a resource limitation account that argues that alcohol reduces capacity to process information required for execution and suppression of responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40506-0044, USA. mtfill2@uky.edu
authors.forename: Mark T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Fillmore
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Selst
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology; D000438:Alcohols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001288:Attention; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects*; D012033:Refractory Period, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D012094:Repression, Psychology; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
chemical_list: D000438:Alcohols; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants