Alcohol affects otolith-induced ocular counterrolling: dosage effects.
CONCLUSIONS
Otolith function is significantly affected by alcohol ingestion and the higher the dosage, the greater the effect.


OBJECTIVE
To determine how the effect of a 5 oz (150 ml) dose of alcohol differs from an earlier study examining the effect of 3 oz (90 ml) on ocular counterrolling (OCR).


METHODS
Twenty subjects underwent OCR testing before and after drinking 5 oz of 80 proof vodka.


RESULTS
Blood alcohol levels (BAL) of the subjects ranged from 0.09 to 0.18%. Three measures of OCR were considered. Amplitude was significantly reduced post-alcohol; disconjugacy was significantly increased post-alcohol; smoothness was not significantly different pre- and post-alcohol. In contrast, the lower 3 oz study produced BAL of 0.04-0.09% and resulted in significantly reduced OCR amplitude, no significant change in disconjugacy, but a significant improvement in smoothness. The increase in BAL produced further impairment of amplitude and conjugacy but eliminated the benefit of smoothness.
Diamond
Shirley G
SG
Department of Psychology, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
Markham
Charles H
CH
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000187:drug effects*
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol