title: Comparing the effects of light alcohol consumption on human response to auditory and visual stimuli.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of various levels of alcohol consumption on human response to auditory and visual stimuli in terms of reaction time, movement time, total reaction time, and error rate. Placebo level and three low-level alcohol doses were randomly assigned to 20 male university student volunteers. 30 min. after consuming the alcohol or placebo, participants responded to either auditory or visual stimuli. Total reaction time increased significantly at the mid-low dose of alcohol (0.3 g/kg). For alcohol doses less than .5 g/kg, the change in total reaction time was confined to reaction time, i.e., the processing time between onset of stimulus and onset of movement. Effects of alcohol were significantly more pronounced in the choice-type tests. Notably, the effects of alcohol on total reaction time and error rate were significant for auditory but not visual stimuli.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Safety and Health, Chia-Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, 60, Er-Jen Rd., Sec. 1, Jen-Te, Tainan 717, Taiwan. csy5066@mail.chna.edu.tw
authors.forename: Shyh-Yueh
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Hsiao-Yu
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jin-Chuan
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Song-Yen
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000187:drug effects*; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D003118:Color Perception / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009949:Orientation / Q000187:drug effects; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000187:drug effects; D010898:Pitch Perception / Q000187:drug effects; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000187:drug effects*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol