Following alcohol consumption, nontreatment-seeking alcoholics report greater stimulation but similar sedation compared with social drinkers.
OBJECTIVE
Drinking behavior, and consequently the risk to develop alcohol problems, is influenced in part by one's subjective response to alcohol. Studies have shown that individuals at risk for alcoholism report greater stimulation, less sedation and/or "low response" to alcohol. Whether this effect exists in early-stage alcoholics has not been examined. The present study was conducted to determine whether alcoholics and social drinkers differ in response following a challenge dose of alcohol in a clinical laboratory procedure.


METHODS
Nontreatment-seeking alcoholics (n = 38) and social drinkers (n = 30) randomized to a placebo in a medication study were given a standard dose of alcohol (0.34 g/kg women; 0.4 g/kg men) in a bar-laboratory setting. Assessments, including blood alcohol concentrations and the Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale, were conducted four times (from 10 to 60 minutes following initiation of consumption).


RESULTS
Alcoholics reported greater stimulation, but similar sedation, compared with social drinkers, following alcohol consumption.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides the first evidence of greater stimulation following alcohol in alcoholics not seeking treatment.
Thomas
Suzanne E
SE
Institute of Psychiatry, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA. thomass@musc.edu
Drobes
David J
DJ
Voronin
Konstantin
K
Anton
Raymond F
RF
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000431:Ethanol