title: High cortisol responders to stress show increased sedation to alcohol compared to low cortisol responders: An alcohol dose-response study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was designed to examine the relationship between high and low cortisol response to an acute stressful situation and the subjective effects after different doses of alcohol, in healthy social drinkers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four subjects (32 men and 32 women) participated in one laboratory session. They performed a modified version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) immediately before consumption of either placebo or alcohol (0.2, 0.4 or 0.8 g/kg). Subjects in each dose group were then divided into high (HCR; n=32) or low (LCR; n=32) cortisol responders. Primary dependent measures were self-report questionnaires of mood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HCR reported increased ratings on Sedation on the Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale (BAES) with increased dose in comparison with the LCR. This increase in sedation also correlated to the increase in cortisol levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that a high cortisol response to stress modulates the subjective response to alcohol, dose-dependently. HCR subjects experience increased sedative effects of alcohol after consumption of higher doses of alcohol following stress compared to LCR subjects.
authors.affiliation: Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, SE 413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden. Electronic address: sejla.brkic@neuro.gu.se.
authors.forename: Sejla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brkic
authors.affiliation: Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, SE 413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden; Beroendekliniken, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, SE 413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Söderpalm
authors.affiliation: Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, SE 413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anna Söderpalm
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gordh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D010919:Placebos; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D000431:Ethanol; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Alcohol; Cortisol response; Social drinkers; Stress; Subjective effects; TSST