Levels Of Alcohol Intoxication Research Articles

Study II: Mechanoreceptive sensation is of increased importance for human postural control under alcohol intoxication

Standing postural stability relies on input from visual, vestibular, proprioceptive and mechanoreceptive sensors. When the information from any of these sensors is unavailable or disrupted, the central nervous system maintains postural stability by relying more on the contribution from the reliable sensors, termed sensory re-weighting. Alcohol intoxication is known to affect the integrity of the vestibular and visual systems. The aim was to assess how mechanoreceptive sensory information contributed to postural stability at 0.00% (i.e. sober), 0.06% and 0.10% blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in 25 healthy subjects (mean age 25.1 years). The subjects were assessed with eyes closed and eyes open under quiet standing and while standing was perturbed by repeated, random-length, vibratory stimulation of the calf muscles. Plantar cutaneous mechanoreceptive sensation was assessed for both receptor types: slowly adapting (tactile sensitivity) and rapidly adapting (vibration perception). The correlation between recorded torque variance and the sensation from both mechanoreceptor types was calculated.The recorded stability during alcohol intoxication was significantly influenced by both the tactile sensation and vibration perception of the subjects. Moreover, the study revealed a fluctuating association between the subjects’ vibration perception and torque variance during balance perturbations, which was significantly influenced by the level of alcohol intoxication, vision and adaptation. Hence, one's ability to handle balance perturbations under the influence of alcohol is strongly dependent on accurate mechanoreceptive sensation and efficient sensory re-weighting.

Blood alcohol concentration at 0.06 and 0.10% causes a complex multifaceted deterioration of body movement control

Alcohol-related falls are recognized as a major contributor to the occurrence of traumatic brain injury. The control of upright standing balance is complex and composes of contributions from several partly independent mechanisms such as appropriate information from multiple sensory systems and correct feedback and feed forward movement control. Analysis of multisegmented body movement offers a rarely used option for detecting the fine motor problems associated with alcohol intoxication. The study aims were to investigate whether (1) alcohol intoxication at 0.06 and 0.10% blood alcohol concentration (BAC) affected the body movements under unperturbed and perturbed standing; and (2) alcohol affected the ability for sensorimotor adaptation. Body movements were recorded in 25 participants (13 women and 12 men, mean age 25.1 years) at five locations (ankle, knee, hip, shoulder, and head) during quiet standing and during balance perturbations from pseudorandom pulses of calf muscle vibration over 200 s with eyes closed or open. Tests were performed at 0.00, 0.06, and 0.10% BAC. The study revealed several significant findings: (1) an alcohol dose-specific effect; (2) a direction-specific stability decrease from alcohol intoxication; (3) a movement pattern change related to the level of alcohol intoxication during unperturbed standing and perturbed standing; (4) a sensorimotor adaptation deterioration with increased alcohol intoxication; and (5) that vision provided a weaker contribution to postural control during alcohol intoxication. Hence, alcohol intoxication at 0.06 and 0.10% BAC causes a complex multifaceted deterioration of human postural control.

The Effects of Alcohol on Crime‐related Memories: A Field Study

SummaryThis field study investigated to what extent memory of criminally relevant details is affected at (close to) zero (MBAC = 0.00%), moderate (MBAC = 0.06%), and high (MBAC = 0.16%) levels of alcohol intoxication. Participants (N = 76) were approached in bars and were invited to watch a mock crime from a perpetrator perspective. We also measured their blood alcohol concentration levels. After 3–5 days, when participants were sober, they underwent a free and cued recall task about the mock crime. Compared with sober controls, both moderately and highly intoxicated individuals were less complete when recollecting crime details, recalling up to 33% fewer correct details. Overall, intoxicated participants were less accurate during the cued recall task (i.e. they produced more errors) relative to sober participants. These accuracy effects were dose‐dependent for cued recall of salient features. Implications for police interrogations of defendants are discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Triggers for alcohol‐related violence in young male offenders

Purpose. Improving the effectiveness of offender treatment programmes is important and one approach is to attend to their content. The aim here was to identify triggers to alcohol‐related violence to inform the development of programmes to treat this problem.Method. Information from 149 young male offenders’ accounts of incidents of alcohol‐related violence was studied using thematic analysis.Results. Sixteen triggers for violence were identified and these were organized into six themes: (1) being offended by someone, (2) seeing an opportunity for material gain, (3) seeing others in need of help, (4) perception of threat, (5) distress, and (6) wanting a fight.Discussion. The implications of the results for developing treatments for alcohol‐related violence are presented. First, identifying triggers should be part of the treatment programme and ways of avoiding triggers should be addressed. Second, changing values, specifically hypermasculine and antisocial values, could attenuate the rewards signalled by the triggers. Third, methods of reducing the potency of triggers would be of value and would include addressing issues of need for respect and responses to perceived disrespect. Fourth, non‐violent ways of helping people who are in trouble need to be introduced. Fifth, coping with threat cues through distraction and increasing self‐awareness would reduce the effects of ‘alcohol myopia’. Sixth, seeking fights for excitement could be reduced by examining the costs through motivational procedures. Finally, and self‐evidently, a primary target of treatment programmes to reduce alcohol‐related violence should be to reduce the level and frequency of alcohol intoxication.

Drunk drivers—Chances for and difficulties in giving medico-legal opinions on drivers’ alcohol intoxication levels, on the basis of the material analyzed in the Forensic Medicine Department, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice in the years 2003–2007

The authors have conducted a statistical analysis of 340 court files investigated in the Forensic Medicine Department Medical University of Silesia, Katowice in the years 2003–2007 with regard to chances for as well as difficulties in giving medico-legal opinions on drivers’ alcohol intoxication levels, which would be valid for court purposes.

The analysis of lethal traffic accidents and risk factors

Aim We observed the most vulnerable parts of the human body in traffic accidents. Materials and methods The study was made on the cases of death in Timis region in the last 3 years (2005–2007). Out of a total of 2314 forensic autopsies, 407 were consequences of traffic accidents. Results In Romania, it is compulsory to perform the forensic autopsy on traffic accident (TA) victims. In our study concerning the mortality in TA, cranio-cerebral trauma represents 33.58%, vertebro-medullar trauma – 8.09%, thoracic trauma – 2.89%, and singular abdominal trauma – 1.73%. The topographic distribution shows: axial regions – 79.19% (skull 60%, thoracic 9.19%, rachis 5%, pelvis 4%, and abdomen 2%); limbs 20.80%. The gender distribution shows a bigger proportion of male drivers as well as pedestrians (3:1 ratio). The analysis of alcohol abuse in TA shows that 35% of the deceased drivers were under the influence of alcohol. Conclusions The forensic expertise in traffic accidents is very useful in identifying the liable party, in establishing the level of alcohol intoxication, as well as in identifying the injuries with lethal potential.

Is the Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Violence Relative to the Level of Consumption?

It has been well demonstrated that alcohol consumption is associated with violent incidents, both at the individual and the aggregate level. In Norway total alcohol consumption has increased by approximately 30% over the past 10 years, and among young people consumption has increased by more than 60%. One might therefore assume that the level of violence, and particularly the level of alcohol‐related violence, has increased substantially over the same period. On the other hand, it is also possible that with increasing consumption among young people, high levels of alcohol intake and alcohol intoxication to a lesser extent are deviant behaviours, and therefore to a lesser extent associated with various problem behaviours. In the latter case, we would assume that the association between alcohol consumption and the risk of violent behaviours would diminish when alcohol consumption and alcohol intoxication become more common and wide‐spread. This hypothesis was tested by analysing data from annual surveys among 15–20‐year‐olds in Norway for the period 1990–2004. The results suggested that the association between alcohol consumption and the risk of alcohol‐related violence became significantly weaker in the later part of the period when alcohol consumption was significantly higher, thereby implying that the impact of alcohol on violence may be relative to the ‘wetness’ of the society.

Separating the effects of alcohol and expectancy on brain activation: An fMRI working memory study

The aim of this study was to use BOLD fMRI to evaluate the effect of alcohol intoxication on neuronal activation, when controlling for expectancy. Behavioural studies have shown that both alcohol intoxication and expectancy affect cognition, mood and behaviour. However, previous neuroimaging studies have not separated the effects of alcohol intoxication from the possible confounding effects of expectancy. Forty-five healthy male participants participated in the study. A balanced placebo design with four groups was used together with a working memory paradigm. Half of the participants consumed a soft-drink before the MR scanning session (half of them were correctly informed about the content of their drink, and half were incorrectly informed that they consumed an alcoholic beverage), and the other half consumed an alcoholic beverage before the MR scanning session (half of them were correctly informed about the content of their drink, and half were incorrectly informed that they consumed a soft-drink). A blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% was used as the alcohol intoxication level. The most conspicuous result was that alcohol intoxication decreased neuronal activation especially in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and in prefrontal areas, while expectancy increased neuronal activation in the same areas. This study shows that alcohol intoxication and expectancy have opposite effects on neuronal activation. The present results could have implications for pharmacological imaging studies.

Blood alcohol findings in accidental drowning

The number of violent deaths in Lithuania is near twice higher in compare with the average of the other EU countries. During the period 2003–2005 a total of 1055 deaths due to drowning were registered in Lithuania. It makes up 7% of all registered violent deaths. According to Lithuanian law a medico-legal examination was performed in all cases. In 77 cases, those comprising the present study, a full medico-legal autopsy was performed in Vilnius division of Institute of Forensic Medicine. Since alcohol consumption in Lithuania is rapidly growing we analyzed what ratio of cases is associated and non-associated with alcohol. We took into consideration age, sex, blood alcohol concentration (BAC), and the seasonal variations. Among the total number of 177 autopsied drowning cases 23% were females and 77% were males. Toxicological analysis for alcohol was positive in 70% females and in 77% males. We noted the grow of alcohol intoxicated victims during investigated time period. Most of accidents (54 % out all drowning cases) occurred in summer. Most of alcohol intoxicated accidents occurred in the age interval 40–49 years (91% out of 32 cases). In 26 individuals from 20–29 age group blood alcohol was proven in 88% of cases. In 11% of 133 alcohol intoxicated individuals BAC was not higher than 1.5%. In 58% of drowning cases BAC exceeded 2.5%. Alcohol intoxication level of more than 4.0% was observed in 8% of instances. The highest BAC (4.66%) was detected in 25-yearold male and in 57-year-old female (4.29%). The abovementioned data confirm that alcoholic intoxication is a significant contributing factor in many drowning fatalities. The depressant effect of alcohol on the central nervous system, with consequent loss of judgment and impaired reaction to potential danger may predispose to unexpected immersion.

Intoxication level and emotional response.

We used affective modulation of the eye-blink component of the startle reflex to examine effects of three levels of alcohol intoxication and a no-intoxication control on emotional responses to pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant pictures. Non-problematic student drinkers (n=101; 48 female) were randomly assigned to intoxication groups. Normal inhibition of startle during exposure to pleasant pictures was intact across groups. In contrast, potentiation of startle during viewing of unpleasant pictures was evident in the no- and low-intoxication groups, compared to the intermediate- and high-intoxication groups, in which it was significantly reduced. This pattern suggests that a direct and selective anxiolytic effect of alcohol can occur at higher levels of intoxication without an analogous impact on response to emotionally positive stimuli at similar levels.

Effects of smoking abstinence and alcohol consumption on smoking-related outcome expectancies in heavy smokers and tobacco chippers

Smoking cessation interventions often target expectancies about the consequences of smoking. Yet little is known about the way smoking-related expectancies vary across different contexts. Two internal contexts that are often linked with smoking relapse are states associated with smoking abstinence and alcohol consumption. This report presents a secondary analysis of data from two experiments designed to examine the influence of smoking abstinence, and smoking abstinence combined with alcohol consumption, on smoking-related outcome expectancies among heavy smokers and tobacco chippers (smokers who had consistently smoked no more than 5 cigarettes/day for at least 2 years). Across both experiments, smoking abstinence and alcohol consumption increased expectancies of positive reinforcement from smoking. In addition, alcohol consumption increased negative reinforcement expectancies among tobacco chippers, such that the expectancies became more similar to those of heavy smokers as tobacco chippers' level of subjective alcohol intoxication increased. Findings suggest that these altered states influence the way smokers evaluate the consequences of smoking, and provide insight into the link between smoking abstinence, alcohol consumption, and smoking behavior.

Suicide and the war in Croatia

Analyzing data from the Institute of Forensic Medicine (IFM) in Rijeka, a total of 853 suicides were recorded in a 15 years period (1986–2000). Quantitative and qualitative features of suicides were analyzed in three intervals: pre-wartime, wartime and post-wartime. In the wartime period (1991–1995), the suicide rate increased by 20.9% in comparison with the pre-war period. In the post-wartime period, the suicide rate dropped by 26.2% in comparison with the war period. The results show a significant increase in suicide rates in the wartime. During the wartime period, a large number of suicide victims under the age of forty increased—45.3% in comparison with the pre-war period and 56.6% in comparison with the post-war period. The use of firearms as a means of committing suicide quadrupled during the war in comparison with the pre-war period. The level of alcohol intoxication of perpetrators at the moment of suicide significantly increased in the wartime period. War had a direct impact on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of suicides in Croatia.

Suicide rate after the 1991–1995 War in Southwestern Croatia

Background The paper analyzed the impact of war, the most pernicious of social evils, taking into consideration intensity of change in rate of suicide in the southwestern region of Croatia during the war and including three distinctly specific intervals, two peacetime—one pre-war (1986–1990) and one post-war (1996–2000) as well as the period of the war itself (1991–1995). Methods From 853 cases of suicide committed during the period under review, age and gender of suicide victims, level of alcohol intoxication at suicide, means used in committing suicide, and suicide rate in years under review were analyzed. Quantitative characteristics of suicides were compared with other types of violent deaths, e.g., homicides and accidents. Frequencies of different features are shown graphically. Statistica 4.0 for Windows 98 was used in data processing. Results Of a total of 2,925 violent deaths in the period under review (1986–2000), 29.16% or 853 suicides (29.1%) were recorded. A total of 513 suicides were committed in the peace-time period—262 prior to the war (1986–1990) and 251 after the war (1996–2000)—while 340 suicides were recorded during the war (1991–1995). Means of committing suicide also changed drastically during the war, when 64 cases of firearm use were recorded compared with 18 cases during the pre-war interval and 36 cases in the post-war interval. Conclusions Three parameters, namely, suicide rate, use of firearms, and intoxication, suffered the greatest changes in the war compared with the pre- and post-war period in the region under review.

Adaptation of performance during a week of simulated night work

This study aimed to provide a comparative index of the performance impairment associated with the fatigue levels frequently experienced in workplaces that require night work. To do this, we equated fatigue-related impairment with the impairment resulting from varying levels of alcohol intoxication. Fifteen young individuals participated in two counterbalanced conditions which required them to (1) ‘work’ seven consecutive 8-h night shifts, and (2) consume an alcoholic beverage at hourly intervals until their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) reached 0.10%. In each condition, performance was measured at hourly intervals using a 10-min psychomotor vigilance task (PVT). Analysis indicated that as BAC increased, performance impairment significantly increased. Similarly, response times significantly increased during the first six simulated night-shifts, and lapse frequency significantly increased during the first two shifts. Equating the two conditions indicated that the first simulated night shift was associated with the greatest degree of performance impairment. In general, the impairment at the end of this shift was greater than that observed at a BAC of 0.10%. During the second and third simulated night shifts, the performance impairment was less than on the first night, but greater than that observed at a BAC of 0.05%. For the final four nights, the performance decrements generally did not exceed those observed at a BAC of 0.05%. This suggests that during a week of consecutive night shifts, adaptation of performance occurs.

Alcohol and Acquaintance Rape in Australia: Testing the Presupposition Model of Attributions About Responsibility and Blame1

According to the presupposition model of attributions about responsibility and blame (Bradbury & Fincham, 1990), an attribution of blame presupposes an attribution of responsibility. Both constructs share the dimensions of choice, intention, and accountability, but an additional dimension of liability relates only to blame. Reactions of 260 university students to acquaintance‐rape scenarios portraying different levels of alcohol intoxication were examined. Results showed that the model's dimensions explained much of the variance in attributions of responsibility and blame, although the hierarchical structure was not supported. Mediational analyses suggest that different attributional principles apply when assigning victim and perpetrator responsibility, which may explain why intoxicated victims are assigned more responsibility than sober victims, but intoxicated perpetrators are assigned less responsibility than sober perpetrators.

Serotonin transporter availability correlates with alcohol intake in non-human primates.

A low level of alcohol intoxication upon initial exposure and impulsive aggressiveness predispose humans to alcoholism. In non-human primates, central serotonin transporter availability and turnover rate were associated with aggressive behavior and a low response to initial alcohol exposure. We assessed the respective effects of these factors on alcohol intake in a free choice paradigm. Serotonin transporter availability in the raphe area, the origin of central serotonergic projections, was measured with single-photon emission computed tomography and the radioligand [(123)I]beta-CIT in 11 rhesus monkeys with low and high central serotonin turnover. The amount of alcohol intake in the 3-month observation period was positively correlated with serotonin transporter availability (R=0.76, P=0.006), but not with aggressiveness (R=0.19, P=0.6) or alcohol response upon first exposure (R=-0.48, P=0.2). In a linear multiple regression analysis with serotonin transporter availability, alcohol response, and aggressiveness as independent variables, 82% of the variance of alcohol intake was explained and serotonin transporter availability emerged as the only statistically significant factor (beta=7.81, P=0.006). These observations indicate that there may be a direct relationship between serotonin transporter availability and alcohol intake after controlling for aggression and alcohol response on first exposure.

Aggression involving alcohol: relationship to drinking patterns and social context.

The present study examines the relationships between: (1) alcohol involvement/perceived intoxication level of participants and aggression severity; (2) respondent drinking patterns and involvement in alcohol-related aggression; and (3) social context and alcohol-related aggression. Random digit dialing (RDD) with computer assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) was used to obtain a random sample of Ontario adults aged 18-60 (response rate of 67%). Respondents who reported that they had been involved personally in physical aggression in the past 12 months were the focus of the present study. Questions were asked regarding the most recent incident of physical aggression, including whether the respondent and opponent drank alcohol prior to aggression, perceived intoxication levels at the time, number of participants, relationship to opponent, social context of aggression, time of day and day of week. Three items were used to assess aggression severity: injury to respondent, use of threats by respondent or opponent and police involvement. (1) Injury to respondent and threats by respondent were not associated with alcohol involvement per se, but were significantly related to perceived level of alcohol intoxication; (2) drinking pattern of respondent was significantly associated with alcohol-related aggression but unrelated to aggression that did not involve alcohol; and (3) a number of contextual factors (e.g. gender, number of participants, time of day) were found to be associated with alcohol involvement in aggression. The results suggest that both drinking pattern and contextual factors are important in distinguishing between alcohol-related aggression and non-alcohol-related aggression. As well, alcohol intoxication may be an important predictor of aggression severity.

Sexual Coercion and Substance Use among Drug-Using Women: An Event Analysis

An event analysis was conducted to examine the associations between substance use and sexual coercion at most recent sexual encounter among a sample of street-recruited drug-using women. Drug-using women (n = 261) were interviewed regarding their most recent sexual encounter with a man. Illicit drugs used in the 30 days prior to interview were crack (94%), other forms of cocaine (51%), and heroin or other opiates (30%); nearly half reported having injected any drug in the previous 30 days. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to assess the unique associations between the presence of any sexual coercion at this event and (a) the woman's alcohol intoxication level, (b) the woman's drug intoxication level, (c) her male partner's alcohol intoxication level, and (d) her male partner's drug intoxication level. Controlling for demographic variables and prior verbal and physical abuse from the most recent partner, women's reports of their partners' drug and alcohol intoxication levels were significantly associated with sexual coercion at most recent sexual encounter. Interventions aimed at reducing drug-using women's risk of sexual abuse and STDs need to consider ways of targeting the male partners' substance use during sex without compromising the women's safety.

Alcohol introxication and violent crime: implications for public health policy.

Despite extensive public health campaigns, the consequences of alcohol intoxication continue to be a serious public health concern. Alcohol intoxication, for example, is a prevalent feature of crime, especially violent crime. Previous studies of alcohol intoxication and violent crime have used samples of police reports, correctional populations (arrestees, jail detainees, or convicted offenders), or community surveys. Studies using police reports and correctional populations are biased because few police-citizen encounters result in police reports or arrest. Community surveys avoid these biases but rely on the subject's assessment of both the victims' and the suspects' intoxication. We took a different approach and directly observed 2,365 police-citizen encounters. Observers used the Alcohol Symptom Checklist to determine the level of alcohol intoxication or impairment. We compared the prevalence of suspects' and victims' alcohol intoxication (equivalent to a blood alcohol level [BAL] of .05 or above) by type of encounter and computed odds ratios to assess the association between intoxication and type of encounter. We also controlled for demographic characteristics (race, gender, age, and socio-economic status) to assess the relationships among perpetration, victimization, and intoxication. Overall, suspects are far more likely than victims to be intoxicated; not surprisingly, suspects in public order/vandalism encounters are the most likely to be intoxicated. Alcohol intoxication appears to contribute substantially to violent victimization. The role of alcohol intoxication is largest among groups that, if not intoxicated, are generally less vulnerable to violence: whites, males, and persons of higher socio-economic status. We discuss the implications of these findings for services and public health policy.

Moderate sleep deprivation produces impairments in cognitive and motor performance equivalent to legally prescribed levels of alcohol intoxication

OBJECTIVESTo compare the relative effects on performance of sleep deprivation and alcohol.METHODSPerformance effects were studied in the same subjects over a period of 28 hours of sleep deprivation and after...