title: Effects of low-level alcohol use on cognitive interference: an fMRI study in young adults.
abstract: Alcohol consumption is widely known to adversely affect human health. Its neuropathology is largely evident in the cerebellum and frontal lobes, particularly in the immature brains of adolescents and young adults. It may also have a long-lasting impact on executive functioning. The Ottawa Prenatal Prospective Study (OPPS) has followed participants over 20 years, from birth to young adulthood, and has collected data on potentially confounding lifestyle variables, such as prenatal drug exposure and current drug use. The present study investigated the neural activity of 29 young adults from the OPPS using fMRI. The main objective was to discover the impact of regular low-level alcohol consumption on the cognitive interference of these participants, as they performed a Counting Stroop task. Results indicated that, despite a lack of performance differences, young adults who use alcohol on a regular basis differ significantly from non-users with respect to their neural activity as they perform this task. Areas that were significantly more activated in users compared to non-users included the cerebellum, thalamus, fusiform gyrus, prefrontal cortex, and precuneus. The observed activity suggests a significant impact of early alcohol use on neurocognitive functioning despite relatively low levels of alcohol consumption.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean Jacques Lussier, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N-6N5.
authors.forename: Taylor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hatchard
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean Jacques Lussier, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N-6N5. Electronic address: asmith@uottawa.ca.
authors.forename: Andra M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean Jacques Lussier, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N-6N5.
authors.forename: Rebecca E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Halchuk
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean Jacques Lussier, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N-6N5.
authors.forename: Carmelinda A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S-1S2.
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Fried
authors.affiliation: Ottawa Health Research Institute, 725 Parkdale Ave., Ottawa, ON, Canada K1Y-4E9.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hogan
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Ottawa Hospital, 1053 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON, Canada K1Y-4E9.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cameron
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D057190:Stroop Test; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol; Attention; Counting Stroop; Executive functioning; Functional MRI