title: Alcohol-induced impairment of inhibitory control is linked to attenuated brain responses in right fronto-temporal cortex.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A self-enhancing loop between impaired inhibitory control under alcohol and alcohol consumption has been proposed as a possible mechanism underlying dysfunctional drinking in susceptible people. However, the neural underpinnings of alcohol-induced impairment of inhibitory control are widely unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured inhibitory control in 50 young adults with a stop-signal task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. In a single-blind placebo-controlled cross-over design, all participants performed the stop-signal task once under alcohol with a breath alcohol concentration of .6 g/kg and once under placebo. In addition, alcohol consumption was assessed with a free-access alcohol self-administration paradigm in the same participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Inhibitory control was robustly decreased under alcohol compared with placebo, indicated by longer stop-signal reaction times. On the neural level, impaired inhibitory control under alcohol was associated with attenuated brain responses in the right fronto-temporal portion of the inhibition network that supports the attentional capture of infrequent stop-signals and subsequent updating of action plans from response execution to inhibition. Furthermore, the extent of alcohol-induced impairment of inhibitory control predicted free-access alcohol consumption.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that during inhibitory control alcohol affects cognitive processes preceding actual motor inhibition. Under alcohol, decreased brain responses in right fronto-temporal areas might slow down the attentional capture of infrequent stop-signals and subsequent updating of action plans, which leads to impaired inhibitory control. In turn, pronounced alcohol-induced impairment of inhibitory control might enhance alcohol consumption in young adults, which might promote future alcohol problems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Matemática, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guevara
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marxen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Maike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jünger
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kobiella
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mennigen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Maximilian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pilhatsch
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich S
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany. Electronic address: michael.smolka@tu-dresden.de.
authors.forename: Michael N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Smolka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000438:Alcohols / Q000378:metabolism; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000523:psychology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D012646:Self Administration; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000438:Alcohols; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Acute alcohol intoxication; alcohol consumption; fMRI; inhibitory control; response inhibition; stop-signal task