title: Subjective perceptions associated with the ascending and descending slopes of breath alcohol exposure vary with recent drinking history.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The differentiator model predicts that individuals with a positive family history of alcoholism (FHA) or heavy alcohol consumers will feel more sensitive to the effects of alcohol on the ascending phase of the blood alcohol content while feeling less sedated on the descending phase. This study tested whether subjective perceptions are sensitive to the slope of breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) and whether that sensitivity is associated with an FHA and/or recent drinking history (RDH).
  
  
  METHODS
  Family-history-positive (FHP, n = 27) and family-history-negative (FHN, n = 27) young adult nondependent drinkers were infused intravenously with alcohol in 2 sessions separated by 1 week. After 20 minutes, one session had an ascending BrAC (+3.0 mg%/min), while the other session had a descending BrAC (-1 mg%/min). The BrAC for both sessions at this point was approximately 60 mg%, referred to as the crossover point. Subjective perceptions of intoxication, high, stimulated, and sedation were sampled frequently and then interpolated to the crossover point. Within-subject differences between ascending and descending responses were examined for associations with FHA and/or RDH.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent moderate drinkers reported increased perceptions of feeling intoxicated (p < 0.023) and high (p < 0.023) on the ascending slope compared with the descending slope. In contrast, recent light drinkers felt more intoxicated and high on the descending slope.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subjective perceptions in young adult social drinkers depend on the slope of the BrAC when examined in association with RDH. These results support the differentiator model hypothesis concerning the ascending slope and suggest that moderate alcohol consumers could be at risk for increased alcohol consumption because they feel more intoxicated and high on the ascending slope. Subjects did not feel less sedated on the descending slope, contrary to the differentiator model but replicating several previous studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
authors.forename: Leah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wetherill
authors.forename: Sandra L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Morzorati
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Foroud
authors.forename: Kyle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Windisch
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Darlington
authors.forename: Ulrich S
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Zimmerman
authors.forename: Martin H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Plawecki
authors.forename: Sean J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: O'Connor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000523:psychology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D001944:Breath Tests; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D057566:Self Report
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol