title: Cerebral effects of binge drinking: respective influences of global alcohol intake and consumption pattern.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Binge drinking is a major health concern, but its cerebral correlates are still largely unexplored. We aimed at exploring (1) the cognitive step at which these deficits appear and (2) the respective influence of global alcohol intake and specific binge-drinking consumption pattern on this deficit.
  
  
  METHODS
  On the basis of a screening phase (593 students), 80 participants were selected and distributed in four groups (control non-drinkers, daily drinkers, low and high binge drinkers). Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while performing a simple visual oddball task.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Binge drinking was associated with massive ERP impairments, starting at the perceptive level (P100/N100 and N170/P2) and spreading through the attentional (N2b/P3a) and decisional (P3b) ones. Moreover, these deficits were linked with global alcohol intake and also with the specific binge-drinking consumption pattern.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Binge drinkers presented early and global ERP deficits, affecting basic and high-level cognitive stages. Moreover, we showed that binge drinking is deleterious for the brain because of alcohol consumption per se, and also because of its specific consumption pattern.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results show that binge-drinking habits lead to striking brain consequences, particularly because of the repeated alternation between intense intoxications and withdrawal episodes.
authors: Neuroscience, Systems and Cognition (NEUROCS) and Health and Psychological Development (CSDP) Research Units, Institute of Psychology, Catholic University of Louvain, 10 Place C. Mercier, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. pierre.maurage@uclouvain.be
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Maurage
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Joassin
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Speth
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Modave
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Philippot
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Campanella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D058256:Brain Waves / Q000187:drug effects*; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol