title: Following alcohol consumption, nontreatment-seeking alcoholics report greater stimulation but similar sedation compared with social drinkers.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA. thomass@musc.edu
authors.forename: Suzanne E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Drobes
authors.forename: Konstantin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Voronin
authors.forename: Raymond F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Anton
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol