Increased behavioral economic demand and craving for alcohol following a laboratory alcohol challenge.
OBJECTIVE
Although increases in subjective alcohol craving have been observed following moderate doses of alcohol (e.g. priming effects), the effects of alcohol consumption on behavioral economic demand for alcohol are largely unstudied. This study examined the effects of alcohol intoxication on alcohol demand and craving.


METHODS
A between-subjects design in which participants were randomly assigned to either an alcohol (n = 31), placebo (n = 29) or control (n = 25) condition.


METHODS
A laboratory setting at the University of Missouri, USA.


METHODS
Eighty-five young adult moderate drinkers were recruited from the University of Missouri and surrounding community.


METHODS
Change in demand for alcohol across time was measured using three single items: alcohol consumption at no cost (i.e. intensity), maximum price paid for a single drink (i.e. breakpoint) and total amount spent on alcohol (i.e. Omax). Alcohol demand at baseline was also assessed using an alcohol purchase task (APT). Craving was assessed using a single visual analog scale item.


RESULTS
In the alcohol group compared with the combined non-alcohol groups, intensity, breakpoint and craving increased from baseline to the ascending limb and decreased thereafter (Ps < 0.05; Omax , P = 0.06). Change in craving following alcohol consumption was significantly associated with change in each of the demand indices (Ps < 0.0001). Finally, the demand single items were associated with corresponding indices from the APT (Ps < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol demand increases following intoxication, in terms of both the maximum amount people are willing to pay for one drink and the number of drinks people would consume if drinks were free. Behavioral economic measures of alcohol value can complement subjective craving as measures of moment-to-moment fluctuations in drinking motivation following intoxication.
Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, 210 McAlester Hall, Columbia, MO, USA.
Michael
M
Amlung
Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, 210 McAlester Hall, Columbia, MO, USA.
Kayleigh N
KN
McCarty
Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, 210 McAlester Hall, Columbia, MO, USA.
David H
DH
Morris
Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, 210 McAlester Hall, Columbia, MO, USA.
Chia-Lin
CL
Tsai
Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, 210 McAlester Hall, Columbia, MO, USA.
Denis M
DM
McCarthy
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology*; D066249:Craving; D060909:Economics, Behavioral / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008923:Missouri; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
Alcohol; behavioral economics; behavioral pharmacology; craving; demand; priming effects; purchase task