title: Acute alcohol effects on subtypes of impulsivity and the role of alcohol-outcome expectancies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is well established that alcohol acutely impairs the ability to inhibit a pre-potent response (motor impulsivity), but its effects on cognitive impulsivity, including temporal (delayed gratification) and reflection (decision making) impulsivity, are not clear. An important factor contributing to the effects of alcohol is cognitive expectancies of alcohol-related outcomes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current study investigated the effect of alcohol, and alcohol outcome expectancies, on subtypes of impulsivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Impulsivity was tested using the Stop Signal, the Single Key Impulsivity and the Information Sampling Task for motor, temporal and reflection impulsivity, respectively. Participants (n = 48) received placebo, a low (0.4 g/kg) or high dose (0.8 g/kg) of alcohol, before completing the impulsivity measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Motor impulsivity was affected by alcohol dose; participants receiving a high dose displayed reduced inhibitory control. Reflection impulsivity was affected by cognitive alcohol expectancies, but not by alcohol condition; participants expecting greater cognitive and behavioural impairment by alcohol exhibited low impulsivity. Temporal impulsivity was not affected by either alcohol dose or outcome expectancies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that the effects of alcohol on the subtypes of impulsivity are dissociable. Motor impulsivity is sensitive to the pharmacological effects of alcohol, whereas the reflection subtype is affected by cognitive alcohol expectancies. The findings have implications for the understanding of impulsive behaviour under the influence of alcohol.
authors.affiliation: Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QH, UK.
authors.forename: Amy Jane
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Caswell
authors.forename: Michael John
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Theodora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Duka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol