Subjective Response To Alcohol Research Articles

High-intensity sweet taste as a predictor of subjective alcohol responses to the ascending limb of an intravenous alcohol prime: an fMRI study.

High-intensity sweet-liking has been linked to alcohol use disorder (AUD) risk. However, the neural underpinning of this association is poorly understood. To find a biomarker predictive of AUD, 140 participants (social and heavy drinkers, ages 21-26) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a monetary incentive delay (MID) task and stimulation with high (SucroseHigh)- and low-concentration sucrose, as well as viscosity-matched water. On another day after imaging, and just before free-access intravenous alcohol self-administration, participants experienced a 30 mg% alcohol prime (10 min ascent) using the Computerized Alcohol Infusion System. Principal component analysis (PCA) of subjective responses (SR) to the prime's ascending limb generated enjoyable (SRenjoy) and sedative (SRsed) intoxication components. Another PCA created one component reflective of self-administered alcohol exposure (AE) over 90 min. Component loadings were entered as regressors in a voxel-wise general linear fMRI model, with reward type as a fixed factor. By design, peak prime breath alcohol concentration was similar across participants (29 ± 3.4 mg%). SRenjoy on the prime's ascending limb correlated positively with [SucroseHigh > Water] in the supplementary motor area and right dorsal anterior insula, implicating the salience network. Neither SR component correlated with the brain's response to MID. AE was unrelated to brain reward activation. While these findings do not support a relationship between alcohol self-administration and (1) subjective liking of or (2) regional brain response to an intensely sweet taste, they show that alcohol's enjoyable intoxicating effects on the rising limb correspond with anterior insular and supplementary motor area responses to high-concentration sucrose taste. No such associations were observed with MID despite robust activation in those regions. Insula and supplementary motor area responses to intense sensations relate to a known risk factor for AUD in a way that is not apparent with a secondary (monetary) reward.

Drinking context, alcohol use, and subjective responses during binge drinking episodes measured by high-resolution ecological momentary assessment (HR-EMA).

Subjective responses to alcohol play a key role in the development and maintenance of risky drinking and alcohol use disorder (AUD). The social and environmental context where drinking occurs may moderate alcohol's subjective effects, but ecologically valid studies of these associations are limited. The present study used high-resolution ecological momentary assessment (HR-EMA) targeting real-world binge drinking episodes to examine associations among drinking context, alcohol consumption, and subjective responses to alcohol. Young adult heavy drinkers (N = 61; 57% male) completed two smartphone-based, 3-hr HR-EMA of drinking context (social context and location), alcohol use, and subjective responses (alcohol stimulation, sedation, feeling, liking, and wanting more). Analyses examined the associations between drinking context and subjective alcohol responses, accounting for demographic characteristics and individual differences in alcohol consumption. Most (85%) participants reported binge drinking during real-world drinking events. Estimated blood alcohol concentration (eBAC) and alcohol stimulation and reward (liking, wanting) were greater when participants drank with others (vs. alone) and in a bar/restaurant (vs. other location). Sedation was higher when drinking alone versus with others. The present study extends prior laboratory-based research and shows that subjective responses during naturalistic binge drinking episodes may be influenced by drinking context. Drinking with others and in bars and restaurants may increase alcohol consumption, enhance alcohol's rewarding effects, and lead to more alcohol-related harm in at-risk drinkers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Differential effects of UPPS-P impulsivity on subjective alcohol response and craving: An experimental test of acquired preparedness.

Recent studies have extended the acquired preparedness model to experimental data, finding that impulsivity predicts subjective alcohol response, a related yet distinct construct from expectancies. However, studies have not tested whether specific facets of impulsivity predict subjective response, or whether impulsivity indirectly predicts alcohol craving through subjective response. Young adults who reported past-month binge drinking (N = 448) participated in a placebo-controlled alcohol administration study. Mediation models tested whether UPPS-P impulsivity facets indirectly predicted alcohol craving through subjective response on the ascending and descending limbs of the blood alcohol content (BAC). High arousal positive (e.g., sociable), low arousal positive (e.g., relaxed), high arousal negative (e.g., rude), and low arousal negative (e.g., dizzy) subjective effects were measured across limbs. Moderation by beverage condition was not detected, so models were collapsed across beverage condition. Sensation seeking indirectly predicted craving through high arousal positive subjective response on both limbs, whereas positive and negative urgency directly predicted craving. When controlling for baseline subjective response and craving, effects of sensation seeking and negative urgency on subjective response and craving became nonsignificant. The effects of positive urgency on craving remained, and an effect of positive urgency on high arousal positive effects emerged on the ascending limb. Findings suggest that relations among impulsivity, subjective response, and craving are contingent upon the specific facet of impulsivity. Interventions targeting predrink cue exposure and/or positive emotionality may be most effective for sensation seekers, whereas targeting subjective response and/or expectancies may be most efficacious for individuals high in positive urgency. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The effect of neuroimmune modulation on subjective response to alcohol in the natural environment.

Despite the promising implications for novel immune therapeutics, few clinical trials have tested these therapies to date. An understanding of how immune pharmacotherapies influence complex alcohol use disorder (AUD) profiles, including subjective response to alcohol, is very limited. Initial findings show that ibudilast, a neuroimmune modulator, reduces rates of heavy drinking and measures of alcohol craving. This study is a secondary analysis of a 2-week clinical trial of ibudilast that enrolled a nontreatment-seeking sample with AUD. Eligible participants (N=52) were randomized to receive ibudilast or matched placebo and completed daily diary assessments (DDAs) during the 2-week period. Each morning, participants reported on their mood and craving levels both before and during the previous day's drinking episode, as well as stimulation and sedation levels during the previous day's drinking episode. Multilevel models were used to compare the effects of ibudilast and placebo on subjective alcohol response. Exploratory analyses tested whether ibudilast moderated the relationship between daily stimulation/sedation and alcohol intake and whether withdrawal-related dysphoria moderated ibudilast's effects on subjective response. Ibudilast did not significantly alter mean levels of stimulation or sedation (p's>0.05). It did, however, moderate the effect of daily stimulation on drinking (p=0.045). Ibudilast attenuated alcohol-induced increases in craving compared with placebo (p=0.047), but not other subjective response measures. Ibudilast significantly tempered daily alcohol-induced changes in urge to drink and positive mood only among individuals without withdrawal-related dysphoria. Ibudilast's effects on subjective alcohol responses appear to be nuanced and perhaps most salient for individuals drinking for positive reinforcement as distinguished from those who drink to feel normal. Consistent with previous findings, reductions in alcohol craving may represent a primary mechanism of ibudilast's effects on drinking. The ecologically valid nature of DDAs provide a clinically useful window into how individuals experience alcohol's effects while taking ibudilast.

Acute alcohol rewarding effects as a risk factor for hangover frequency

Background/Purpose: Acute subjective alcohol effects appear to play an important role in predicting alcohol hangover. However, no studies have used a laboratory-based alcohol challenge to examine the concurrent or longitudinal effects of subjective alcohol responses on hangover frequency. As such, we investigated the direct and indirect effects of alcohol stimulation, sedation, liking and wanting, as measured in a controlled setting, on hangover frequency over five years. Method: Participants were 294 young adult light-to-heavy social drinkers (aged 21–35 years, 42% female) enrolled in the Chicago Social Drinking Project. The study utilized a placebo-controlled, double blind, laboratory alcohol challenge and a battery of measures including the Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale, Drug Effects Questionnaire, Hangover Symptom Scale, and alcohol use Quantity-Frequency Interview, with the latter two re-administered after five years. Results: Through the use of a path analysis, the present study found significant direct effects from alcohol liking to hangover frequency at initial testing. In addition, there were multiple significant indirect effects from greater alcohol liking and wanting to greater alcohol use quantity-frequency and, in turn, greater hangover frequency at initial testing and 5-year follow-up. Last, there were significant indirect effects from greater alcohol sedation to less alcohol use quantity-frequency and, in turn, less hangover frequency at initial testing and 5-year follow-up. Conclusion: This study highlights the role of the hedonic reward and motivational salience of alcohol as potential mechanisms of alcohol-related consequences (i.e., hangover) among light-to-heavy social drinking young adults.

Craving, stimulation, and sedation as predictors of alcohol demand under intoxication.

Objective: Alcohol demand has been evaluated predominately as a trait-like construct, reflecting individual differences in alcohol's reinforcement value. Increases in state-dependent alcohol demand under intoxication have been demonstrated, indicating a potential mechanism that may influence drinking behavior. This study evaluated the roles of craving and subjective alcohol response (stimulation, sedation) in this process, testing whether increases in craving and stimulation, and reductions in sedation, predicted increased alcohol demand during a laboratory-based drinking episode. Method: Young adults (N = 90; 53% male; M age = 22.2) attended two sessions in a within-subjects alcohol/placebo design. Craving, stimulation, sedation, and alcohol demand (breakpoint, Omax, intensity) were assessed once before beverage consumption and at multiple points afterward at varying blood alcohol concentrations (M peak BrAC = 0.102 g%). Multilevel models tested associations between momentary and between-person predictors (craving, stimulation, sedation) and alcohol demand after accounting for sex, time trends, and baseline covariates. Results: When intoxicated, participants reported higher alcohol demand across the majority of the ascending limb and decreasing demand across the descending limb. Participants reported increased demand at moments when experiencing higher craving, ps ≤ .001, and stimulation, with momentary stimulation incrementally predicting demand above craving, ps ≤ .04. Between-persons, higher alcohol-induced craving was associated with increased demand, ps ≤ .001, whereas between-person stimulation and sedation were less robustly associated with demand indicators. Conclusions: Results indicate that within-person craving and stimulation during intoxication are independently associated with changes in alcohol's reinforcing value. Findings suggest the potential for state-dependent alcohol demand to serve as an additional motivational index of processes underlying ongoing drinking behavior. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Putting things in context: Longitudinal relations between drinking contexts, drinking motives, and negative alcohol consequences.

Recent studies suggest that solitary (but not social) drinking may confer risk for negative alcohol consequences via beliefs about alcohol's ability to reduce tension, and explicit motivations to drink to cope with negative mood states. However, because prior studies are largely cross-sectional, it is unclear if tension reduction expectancies and drinking to cope are antecedents or consequences of solitary drinking. The current study aimed to address this gap in the literature using prospective data (3 waves across 12 months) from a sample of moderate to heavy drinking young adults. Data were drawn from a larger investigation of contextual influences on subjective alcohol response. Participants (N = 448) reported on alcohol use in multiple drinking contexts and tension reduction expectancies at baseline (T1), drinking motives at a 6-month follow-up (T2), and past-month negative alcohol consequences at a 12-month follow-up (T3). We examined potential indirect effects of drinking contexts on negative consequences operating through alcohol expectancies and drinking motives. Solitary drinking was indirectly associated with later negative consequences through stronger coping motives, although tension reduction expectancies did not serve as a significant mediator. Social drinking was not directly or indirectly related to later alcohol consequences. Results suggest that solitary drinking contexts confer risk for negative consequences through coping motives, and that these effects are invariant across sex, race, and ethnicity. These findings have important clinical implications as they suggest that targeting solitary drinkers for skills-based coping interventions may reduce risk for a developmental trajectory toward negative alcohol consequences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Contextual influences on subjective alcohol response.

Prior research demonstrates contextual influences on drug responses in both animals and humans, although studies in humans typically focus on only one aspect of context (e.g., social) and examine a limited range of subjective experiences. The current study sought to address these limitations by examining the impact of both social and physical context on the full range of subjective alcohol effects. The sample included 448 young adult social drinkers (57% male, 66.5% White) randomly assigned to consume alcohol (target blood alcohol concentration of .08 g%) or placebo in 1 of 4 contexts (solitary lab, group lab, solitary bar, group bar). Results indicated that high arousal positive (HAP) effects of alcohol (e.g., talkative, lively) were stronger in nonbar relative to bar contexts and that low arousal positive (LAP) effects (e.g., relaxed, calm) were only present in the group lab context. There were also main effects of social context such that high arousal effects (both positive and negative) were stronger in group contexts, regardless of beverage condition. These findings highlight the importance of considering context when examining alcohol effects. Studies designed to isolate pharmacological HAP effects may benefit from a nonbar setting, and studies of LAP effects might be most effective in a simulated living room or home environment, although future studies are needed to directly address this possibility. Further, studies with an explicit focus on expectancies or that need strong control for expectancies might benefit from a group context, particularly when studying high arousal effects. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Subjective alcohol responses in high- and low-risk adolescents: results from the Dresden Longitudinal Study on Alcohol Use in Young Adults.

Research shows that sensitivity to certain alcohol responses conveys risk for problem drinking. This study aimed to determine if high-risk adolescent drinkers infuse more alcohol and experience greater alcohol-induced stimulation and wanting and less sedation than low-risk adolescent drinkers. Ninety-two low- (n=38) and high-risk (n=54) adolescent drinkers, as determined by Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test scores of <6 or ≥6, respectively, participated in the Dresden Longitudinal Study on Alcohol Use in Young Adults in which intravenous alcohol self-administration was examined in a mixed within- and between-subjects design. Technische Universität Dresden. Dresden, Germany. Predictors were drinking status (high- versus low-risk), time and their interactions. Outcomes were arterial blood alcohol concentration (aBAC); alcohol-induced stimulation, sedation and wanting assessed at baseline, 10 (alcohol prime), 45, 65, 85, 105, 125 and 145minutes. Covariates were family history of alcohol use disorder, sex and aBAC. The alcohol prime dose produced similar sharp increases in stimulation and sedation in high- and low-risk drinkers (time P < 0.001; group×time P > 0.05). During self-administration, high-risk drinkers reached higher aBACs (P=0.028) at a faster rate (group×time P<0.001), and experienced further increases in stimulation (group×time P=0.005) but with similar sedation (group×time P=0.794) than in low-risk drinkers. High-risk drinkers also exhibited greater tonic alcohol wanting (group P=0.003) throughout the session. High-risk adolescent drinkers appear to have heightened sensitivity to alcohol-induced stimulation and tonic high levels of wanting compared with low-risk adolescent drinkers.

Context, acute tolerance, and subjective response affect alcohol-impaired driving decisions.

Alcohol intoxication produces effects that can impair judgment and increase engagement in risky behaviors, including alcohol-impaired driving (AID). Real-world AID decisions are informed by contextual circumstances and judgments of associated risk. How individuals vary in their AID decision-making across contexts and whether subjective alcohol responses (stimulation, sedation, acute tolerance) differentially affect AID decisions are critical, but under-studied research questions. We systematically investigated predictors of AID decisions at different hypothetical driving distances across the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) curve. Young adults (n = 40; 55% female) completed two laboratory sessions in a within-subjects alcohol/placebo design. At multiple points along the BAC curve (M peak BAC = 0.101 g%), participants rated their subjective intoxication, stimulation, sedation, and perceived dangerousness of driving prior to indicating their willingness to drive distances of 1, 3, and 10 miles. Multilevel mixed models assessed within- and between-person predictors of the maximum distance participants were willing to drive at matched BACs on the ascending and descending limb. Under intoxication (but not placebo), participants were willing to drive greater distances on the descending versus ascending limb. At the momentary level, participants were willing to drive further when they felt less intoxicated, stimulated, and sedated, and perceived driving as less dangerous. Individuals differed in the distance they were willing to drive as a function of indicators of intoxication, implicating driving distance as an important contextual factor relevant to AID decisions. Individuals may simultaneously perceive themselves as "unsafe" to drive, but "safe enough" to drive short distances, particularly when BAC is falling.

Immune Response to an Acute Moderate Dose of Alcohol in Healthy Young Adults.

Prior research on alcohol and the immune system has tended to focus on binge doses or chronic heavy drinking. The aim of this single-session preliminary study was to characterize immune response to moderate alcohol (0.60g alcohol per kilogram body weight) in healthy, nonchronic drinkers. The sample (N=11) averaged 26.6years of age and was balanced in gender. Plasma samples were collected at baseline and 1, 2 and 3hours postconsumption. Markers of microbial translocation [lipopolysaccharide (LPS)] and innate immune response [LPS-binding protein (LBP), soluble cluster of differentiation 14 (sCD14), and selected cytokines] were measured using immunoassays. Participants completed self-report questionnaires on subjective alcohol response and craving. Linear mixed models were used to assess changes in biomarkers and self-report measures. Breath alcohol concentration peaked at 0.069±0.008% 1hour postconsumption. LPS showed a significant linear decrease. LBP and sCD14 showed significant, nonlinear (U-shaped) trajectories wherein levels decreased at 1hour then rebounded by 3hours. Of nine cytokines tested, only MCP-1 and IL-8 were detectable in ≥50% of samples. IL-8 did not change significantly. MCP-1 showed a significant linear decrease and also accounted for significant variance in alcohol craving, with higher levels associated with stronger craving. Results offer novel evidence on acute immune response to moderate alcohol. Changes in LBP and sCD14, relative to LPS, may reflect their role in LPS clearance. Results also support further investigation into the role of MCP-1 in alcohol craving. Limitations include small sample size and lack of a placebo condition.

The relationship between impaired control, impulsivity, and alcohol self-administration in nondependent drinkers.

Impaired control over drinking is a significant marker of alcohol use disorder (AUD), and a potential target of intervention (Heather, Tebbutt, Mattick, & Zamir, 1993; Leeman, Toll, Taylor, & Volpicelli, 2009). Impaired control may be related to, but conceptually distinct from, impulsivity (Leeman, Patock-Peckham, & Potenza, 2012; Leeman, Ralevski, et al., 2014). However, the relationship between impaired control, impulsivity, and alcohol consumption, particularly in nondependent drinkers is less clear. This study aimed to characterize these relationships using a free-access intravenous alcohol self-administration (IV-ASA) paradigm in nondependent drinkers (N = 48). Results showed individuals with higher self-reported impaired control achieved higher blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) during the IV-ASA session and reported greater hedonic subjective responses to alcohol. Higher impaired control was also associated with greater positive urgency and reward sensitivity. Moderated-mediation analysis showed that the relationship between positive urgency and peak BAC was mediated by impaired control, and partially moderated by subjective alcohol response. These findings highlight the critical role of impaired control over drinking on alcohol consumption and subjective responses in nondependent drinkers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

The role of alcohol response phenotypes in the risk for alcohol use disorder.

Heavy alcohol use is pervasive and one of our most significant global health burdens. Early theories posited that certain alcohol response phenotypes, notably low sensitivity to alcohol ('low-level response') imparts risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, other theories, and newer measures of subjective alcohol responses, have challenged that contention and argued that high sensitivity to some alcohol effects are equally important for AUD risk. This study presents results of a unique longitudinal study in 294 young adult non-dependent drinkers examined with alcohol and placebo testing in the laboratory at initial enrolment and repeated 5 years later, with regular follow-up intervals assessing AUD (trial registration: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00961792). Findings showed that alcohol sedation was negatively correlated with stimulation across the breath alcohol curve and at initial and re-examination testing. A higher rather than lower alcohol response phenotype was predictive of future AUD. The findings underscore a new understanding of factors increasing vulnerability to AUD.

GRIK1 and GABRA2 Variants Have Distinct Effects on the Dose-Related Subjective Response to Intravenous Alcohol in Healthy Social Drinkers.

The heritable risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD) is expressed partly through alterations in subjective alcohol response. In this study, we investigated the effects of 2 AUD-risk-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms, GABRA2 rs279858 and GRIK1 rs2832407, on the subjective response to alcohol administered intravenously to healthy social drinkers in a laboratory setting. In total, 93 self-identified European American social drinkers underwent 3 blinded laboratory sessions in which they received intravenous infusions of ethanol at 3 target blood alcohol levels (0.00mg%, 40mg%, and 100mg%) using a "clamp" procedure. The self-reported Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale (BAES) stimulation and sedation subscales were the primary outcome measures. We examined the effects of these 2 genetic variants on subjective response to alcohol. For the BAES stimulation subscale scores, adjusting for age, baseline scores, and time effects, individuals with 2 copies of the GABRA2 rs279858 C "risk" allele for AUD exhibited the greatest stimulant responses to high-dose alcohol compared to the other risk allele counts (dose-by-allele count interaction effect, p=0.001, post hoc contrast for C-allele, p=0.012). For the BAES sedation subscale scores, adjusting for the same covariates, we detected a dose-by-allele count interaction effect (p=0.0044) such that subjects with 2 copies of the GRIK1 C "risk" allele reported the greatest sedative response to the higher alcohol dose. This study suggests that gene variants contributing to the risk for AUD may alter features of the alcohol dose-response relationship in specific ways. GABRA2 rs279858*C enhances stimulant responses to higher levels of alcohol, while the GRIK1 rs2832407*C-allele increases sedative responses. In summary, GRIK1 and GABRA2 variants have distinct effects on the dose-related subjective response to intravenous alcohol in humans.

Cerebral dopaminergic and glutamatergic transmission relate to different subjective responses of acute alcohol intake: an in vivo multimodal imaging study.

Converging preclinical evidence links extrastriatal dopamine release and glutamatergic transmission via the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) to the rewarding properties of alcohol. To date, human evidence is lacking on how and where in the brain these processes occur. Mesocorticolimbic dopamine release upon intravenous alcohol administration and mGluR5 availability were measured in 11 moderate social drinkers by single-session [18 F]fallypride and [18 F]FPEB positron emission tomography, respectively. Additionally, baseline and postalcohol glutamate and glutamine levels in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) were measured by using proton-magnetic resonance spectroscopy. To investigate differences in reward domains linked to both neurotransmitters, regional imaging data were related to subjective alcohol responses. Alcohol induced significant [18 F]fallypride displacement in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), temporal and parietal cortices and thalamus (P<0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons). Dopamine release in the ACC and orbitofrontal and ventromedial PFCs were correlated with subjective 'liking' and 'wanting' effects (P<0.05). In contrast, baseline mGluR5 availability was positively correlated with the 'high' effect of alcohol in dorsolateral, ventrolateral and ventromedial PFCs and in the medial temporal lobe, thalamus and caudate nucleus (P<0.05). Although neither proton-magnetic resonance spectroscopy glutamate nor glutamine levels were affected by alcohol, baseline ACC glutamate levels were negatively associated with the alcohol 'liking' effect (P<0.003). These data reveal new mechanistic understanding and differential neurobiological underpinnings of the effects of acute alcohol consumption on human behavior. Specifically, prefrontal dopamine release may encode alcohol 'liking' and 'wanting' effects in specific areas underlying value processing and motivation, whereas mGluR5 availability in distinct prefrontal-temporal-subcortical regions is more related to the alcohol 'high' effect.

Elevated rate of alcohol consumption in borderline personality disorder patients in daily life.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is highly associated with alcohol use disorder, but little is known about how BPD individuals consume alcohol or the immediate effects of their consumption. There is therefore a need for research investigating drinking behavior in BPD. The current study examined rate of alcohol consumption in BPD (N=54) and community individuals (COM; N=59) within ecologically valid drinking episodes. We hypothesized that rate of consumption would be elevated in BPD individuals. We further hypothesized that rate of consumption would be positively associated with subjective stimulation, but not sedation, and that stimulation would be associated with increased positive affect (PA) and reduced negative affect (NA). Ambulatory assessment was used to assess rate of consumption, subjective alcohol response, and affect in the moment (N observations=3444). Rate of consumption was defined as change in estimated blood alcohol concentration (eBAC) relative to drinking episode start. Multilevel modeling was used to test hypotheses. As hypothesized, BPD individuals demonstrated a faster increase in eBAC than COM individuals. Rate of consumption was associated with subjective stimulation, but not sedation, in both groups. Stimulation was associated with increased PA in both groups and reduced NA in the BPD group. BPD individuals consumed alcohol more rapidly than COM individuals. Faster consumption may serve as a means for BPD individuals to maximize the rewarding pharmacological effects of alcohol and to increase positive and reduce negative affect.

Test-retest reliability of the underlying latent factor structure of alcohol subjective response.

Alcohol subjective experiences are multi-dimensional and demonstrate wide inter-individual variability. Recent efforts have sought to establish a clearer understanding of subjective alcohol responses by identifying core constructs derived from multiple measurement instruments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the temporal stability of this approach to conceptualizing alcohol subjective experiences across successive alcohol administrations in the same individuals. Healthy moderate alcohol drinkers (n=104) completed six experimental sessions each, three with alcohol (0.8g/kg), and three with a non-alcoholic control beverage. Participants reported subjective mood and drug effects using standardized questionnaires before and at repeated times after beverage consumption. We explored the underlying latent structure of subjective responses for all alcohol administrations using exploratory factor analysis and then tested measurement invariance over the three successive administrations using multi-group confirmatory factor analyses. Exploratory factor analyses on responses to alcohol across all administrations yielded four factors representing "Positive mood," "Sedation," "Stimulation/Euphoria," and "Drug effects and Urges." A confirmatory factor analysis on the separate administrations indicated acceptable configural and metric invariance and moderate scalar invariance. In this study, we demonstrate temporal stability of the underlying constructs of subjective alcohol responses derived from factor analysis. These findings strengthen the utility of this approach to conceptualizing subjective alcohol responses especially for use in prospective and longitudinal alcohol challenge studies relating subjective response to alcohol use disorder risk.

Subjective alcohol responses in a cross-sectional, field-based study of adolescents and young adults: Effects of age, drinking level, and dependence/consequences

BackgroundAdolescents are physically, cognitively, socially, and emotionally different than adults in ways that may partially explain why alcohol misuse typically develops during this period. Ample animal-science evidence and nascent ecological evidence points toward developmentally limited differences in sensitivity to alcohol’s stimulatory and sedative effects. Field-based research methods were used to test for such age-related differences in a sample of adolescents through young adults. Potential moderating influences of estimated blood alcohol content (eBAC), as well as typical consumption and level of dependence/consequences were explored. MethodsSubjective alcohol responses were collected from 1,364 participants, aged 17 to 32 years, recruited outside of venues where drinking takes place in a small metropolitan bar district. ResultsSelf-reports of stimulatory response to alcohol were age-related, such that younger participants reported increased subjective stimulation at the time of data collection relative to older participants. Age-related differences in stimulatory responses were more pronounced at lower eBACs and among younger participants who typically drank more heavily. Stimulatory responses generally diminished among older than younger participants, although individuals with greater dependence/consequences consistently reported greater stimulation from drinking. Contrastingly, age, typical consumption, and dependence/consequences were not related to sedation in this sample. ConclusionsThis research provides cross-sectional evidence to support age-, consumption-, and dependence/consequences-related differences in stimulatory alcohol responses among adolescents and young adults assessed within a bar-area context. While cross-sectional, the results of this field-based study provide support for the theory that addiction liability is developmentally linked and associated, in part, with age-related differences in subjective alcohol responses.

Supplemental Material for Individual Differences in Subjective Alcohol Responses and Alcohol-Related Disinhibition

Supplemental Material for Individual Differences in Subjective Alcohol Responses and Alcohol-Related Disinhibition

Impaired activation of somatosensory cortex as FMRI correlate of reduced dexterity in PD

WCN 2013 No: 1278 Topic: 2 — Movement Disorders Impaired activation of somatosensory cortex as FMRI correlate of reduced dexterity in PD T. Foki, W. Pirker, A. Geissler, D. Haubenberger, M. Hilbert, I. Hoellinger, M. Wurnig, J. Rath, J. Lehrner, S. Trattnig, E. Auff, R. Beisteiner. Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; MR Center of Excellence, Department of Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria Background: Previously (1ab), the DOPA-resistant component of decreased dexterity in PD was called limb-kinetic apraxia (LkA). Our recent fMRI pilot study (2) investigating PD patients OFF medication suggested impaired activation of primary somatosensory cortex (SSC) as closely related to LkA. Both in the behavioral (1ab) and FMRI studies (2), coin rotation (CR, LkA task, target condition) was contrasted with simple finger tapping (FT, bradykinesia task, reference condition). FMRI signal changes were hence corrected for basic motor skills and represented activation particularly associated with dexterity. Based on the DOPA resistance of CR performance in (1ab), we hypothesized a reproducibility of impaired activation of the SSC ON medication. Objective: The objective of this study is to confirm dysfunction of SSC as closely related to DOPA-resistant dexterity deficits in PD. Patients and methods: According to the experimental setup (CR vs. FT) mentioned above, 10 PD patients performed the FMRI experiment in the ON as well as the OFF condition. 14 healthy controls performed the same experiment. Patients were compared to controls (SPM8). Results: Confirming our pilot study, we assessed decreased activation of the SSC in patients OFF medication compared to controls. In line with our study hypothesis, this finding was reproducible in patients ON medication compared to controls (p b 0.01, uncorr., k = 25 vox.). Comparing FMRI signals in the SSC between ON and OFF conditions, no differences could be assessed (lowering even to p b 0.05). Conclusions: Dexterity deficits in PD are linked to a dysfunction of the SSC. (1a) Gebhardt-et-al._MovDisord 2008;23 :1701-6. (1b) Quencer-et-al._Neurology 2007;68:150-1. (2) Foki-et-al._ExpNeurol 2010;225:416-22. doi:10.1016/j.jns.2013.07.405 Abstract — WCN 2013 No: 1269 Topic: 2 — Movement Disorders Subjective and objective alcohol responsiveness in different tremor disorders WCN 2013 No: 1269 Topic: 2 — Movement Disorders Subjective and objective alcohol responsiveness in different tremor disorders P. Schwingenschuh, M. Koegl-Wallner, U. Werner, T. Pendl, C. Ghadery, S. Seiler, K. Wenzel, R. Schmidt, P. Katschnig-Winter. Department of Neurology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria Background: A few studies exist on the effect of alcohol in essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson s disease (IPD), but so far no systematic studies have been performed in other tremor syndromes. Nevertheless, a positive response to alcohol – commonly simply inquired by history – is used as supportive diagnostic criterion for ET. Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate if subjective/ objective alcohol responses distinguish a broad range of tremor disorders. Methods: (1) We assessed drinking habits and response of tremor to alcohol intake in 100 consecutive patients with arm tremor. (2) For a double-blind placebo-controlled oral alcohol test we recruited 12 patients with ET, 10 IPD, and 7 dystonic tremor (DT). The effect to alcohol/placebo was assessed at baseline and after 30/ 60/120 min by clinical rating scales and accelerometry. Results: (1) We investigated 44 patients with IPD, 22 ET, 20 DT, and 14 others. Of 77 patients drinking alcohol, 23 had no response, 26 had improvement, and 28 never paid attention. None of the evaluated parameters differed between the groups. (2) ET, IPD, and DT had a significant tremor improvement with placebo and alcohol. There were no significant between group differences. However, in the ET group there was a stronger objective effect of alcohol compared to placebo. Conclusions: Subjective alcohol response inquired by history may not be suitable as supportive diagnostic criterion for ET. Objectively, all investigated patients improved with alcohol. This effect seems to be truly alcohol related in ET only. doi:10.1016/j.jns.2013.07.406 Abstract — WCN 2013 No: 1258 Topic: 2 — Movement Disorders Exome sequencing analysis in familial progressive supranuclear palsy WCN 2013 No: 1258 Topic: 2 — Movement Disorders Exome sequencing analysis in familial progressive supranuclear palsy C. Bettencourt, A. Tucci, R. Ros, J. Lopez-Sendon, J. Hardy, J. Garcia deYebenes,H.Houlden. Department ofMolecularNeuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Neurology, Hospital Ramon y Cajal, Madrid, Spain Background: Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a clinicopathological syndrome characterized by akinesia, supranuclear gaze palsy, Abstracts / Journal of the Neurological Sciences 333 (2013) e109–e151 e121