title: Is binge drinking in young adults associated with an alcohol-specific impairment of response inhibition?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Little is known about the association of binge drinking with impulsivity related to trait- or state-like aspects of behavior. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate whether binge drinkers show an impairment of inhibitory control in comparison to non-binge drinkers when confronted with alcohol-associated or control stimuli, and whether this is reflected in self-reported impulsivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A go/no-go task with pictures of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages as well as control stimuli was administered to binge drinkers and a gender-matched group of non-binge drinkers. All participants also completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found an alcohol-specific impairment of response inhibition for binge drinkers only, while the groups did not differ with regard to overall response inhibition to the experimental stimuli or self-reported impulsiveness (BIS-11). In addition, the number of commission errors in response to alcohol-associated stimuli was the only significant predictor of binge drinking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of the present study suggest that when young adults have established binge drinking as a common drinking pattern, impairment of inhibition in response to alcoholic stimuli is the only significant predictor of binge drinking, but not general impulsive behavior.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Psychiatry, Medical University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Czapla
authors.forename: Joe J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Hans-Christoph
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Friederich
authors.forename: Sabine C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Herpertz
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loeber
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult