Binge Drinking Affects Attentional and Visual Working Memory Processing in Young University Students

Binge drinking and cognitive impairment in young people

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To investigate the links between the binge pattern of drinking and the development of cognitive impairment in young adults in the UK. To determine from the findings whether cognitive impairment is an additional public health concern manifesting from this form of alcohol misuse and its relevance to nursing practice.

BACKGROUND

Young adults in the UK are participating in binge drinking; a 'harmful' form of alcohol misuse. Morbidity and mortality associated with alcohol misuse is already a public health concern.

DESIGN

Literature review.

METHOD

Multiple database searches were undertaken, which revealed three case-control studies. The studies all investigated the binge pattern of drinking as well as meeting the following inclusion criteria; primary research published from 2005 onwards, used a human sample, participants were aged 18 to 24 and cognitive function was tested.

RESULTS

The quantitative data found cognitive impairment present in young adult binge drinkers, specifically in regions of the frontal lobe, temporal lobe and hippocampus. Individually the studies did not pose strong enough evidence to generalise findings. However, collectively the core findings along with previous studies can validate the link between binge drinking and cognitive impairment.

CONCLUSION

Nurse-led alcohol misuse screening and brief intervention is the most effective public health prevention strategy. It is important for nurses to keep abreast of current evidence to better inform their practice and the information they provide to their service users. This review emphasises the need for nurses to routinely screen young adults and address the associated risk to cognitive function when participating in harmful drinking.

Weaknesses in executive functioning predict the initiating of adolescents' alcohol use

Recently, it has been suggested that impairments in executive functioning might be risk factors for the onset of alcohol use rather than a result of heavy alcohol use. In the present study, we examined whether two aspects of executive functioning, working memory and response inhibition, predicted the first alcoholic drink and first binge drinking episode in young adolescents using discrete survival analyses. Adolescents were selected from several Dutch secondary schools including both mainstream and special education (externalizing behavioral problems). Participants were 534 adolescents between 12 and 14 years at baseline. Executive functioning and alcohol use were assessed four times over a period of two years. Working memory uniquely predicted the onset of first drink (p=.01) and first binge drinking episode (p=.04) while response inhibition only uniquely predicted the initiating of the first drink (p=.01). These results suggest that the association of executive functioning and alcohol consumption found in former studies cannot simply be interpreted as an effect of alcohol consumption, as weaknesses in executive functioning, found in alcohol naïve adolescents, predict the initiating of (binge) drinking. Though, prolonged and heavy alcohol use might further weaken already existing deficiencies.

Exploratory Analysis of Power Spectrum and Functional Connectivity During Resting State in Young Binge Drinkers: A MEG Study

Binge Drinking (BD) is a pattern of intermittent intensive alcohol intake which has spread among young adults over the last decades. Adolescence constitutes a critical neuromaturation period in which the brain is particularly sensitive to the effects of alcohol. However, little is known about how BD affects the brain activity. This study aimed to characterize the brain's functional organization in BD and non-BD young population by means of analyzing functional connectivity (FC) and relative power spectra (PS) profiles measured with magnetoencephalography (MEG) during eyes-closed resting state. Our sample composed 73 first-year university students (35 BDs and 38 controls). Results showed that the BD subjects displayed a decreased alpha FC in frontal-parietal regions, and conversely, an enhanced FC in the delta, theta and beta bands in fronto-temporal networks. Besides the FC differences, the BD group showed a decreased PS within alpha range and an increased PS within theta range in the brain's occipital region. These differences in FC and PS measurements provide new evidence of the neurophysiological alterations related to the alcohol neurotoxicity and could represent an initial sign of an anomalous neural activity caused by a BD pattern of alcohol consumption during youth.

Electrophysiological correlates of alcohol- and non-alcohol-related stimuli processing in binge drinkers: a follow-up study

BACKGROUND

The continuation of binge drinking is associated with the development of neurocognitive brain abnormalities similar to those observed in patients with alcohol dependence. Alcohol cue reactivity constitutes a risk marker for alcohol dependence. Through event-related potentials (ERPs), we aimed to examine its potential presence as well as its evolution over time in binge drinkers in a one-year period.

METHODS

ERPs were recorded during a visual oddball task in which controls (n=15) and binge drinkers (n=15) had to detect infrequent deviant stimuli (related or unrelated to alcohol) among frequent standard stimuli. The test was performed twice with a one-year interval in order to explore the long-lasting influence of drinking habits.

RESULTS

Contrary to the controls, binge drinkers showed significantly reduced amplitudes of the P1 component for both alcohol and non-alcohol-related cues and of the P3 component only for neutral cues in the second assessment compared with the first.

CONCLUSION

The continuation of binge drinking over one year is associated with the development of brain functional abnormalities (indexed by the P1 component) as well as a higher reactivity to alcohol-related stimuli and/or a decreased reactivity to non-alcohol-related stimuli (indexed by the P3 component).

Evolution of the binge drinking pattern in college students: neurophysiological correlates

It is well known that alcohol impairs response inhibition and that adolescence is a critical period of neuromaturation where cognitive processes such as inhibitory control are still developing. In recent years, growing evidence has shown the negative consequences of alcohol binge drinking on the adolescent and young human brain. However, the effects of cessation of binge drinking on brain function remain unexplored. The objective of the present study was to examine brain activity during response execution and inhibition in young binge drinkers in relation to the progression of their drinking habits over time. Event-related potentials (ERPs) elicited by a Go/NoGo task were recorded twice within a 2-year interval in 57 undergraduate students (25 controls, 22 binge drinkers, and 10 ex-binge drinkers) with no personal or family history of alcoholism or psychopathological disorders. The results showed that the amplitude of NoGo-P3 over the frontal region correlated with an earlier age of onset of regular drinking as well as with greater quantity and speed of alcohol consumption. Regression analysis showed that NoGo-P3 amplitude was significantly predicted by the speed of alcohol intake and the age of onset of regular drinking. The group comparisons showed that, after maintaining a binge drinking pattern for at least 2 years, binge drinkers displayed significantly larger NoGo-P3 amplitudes than controls, whereas ex-binge drinkers were in an intermediate position between the two other groups (with no significant differences with respect to controls or binge drinkers). These findings suggest that binge drinking in young people may impair the neural functioning related to inhibitory processes, and that the cessation of binge drinking may act as a brake on the neurophysiological impairments related to response inhibition.

Larger mid-dorsolateral prefrontal gray matter volume in young binge drinkers revealed by voxel-based morphometry

Binge drinking or heavy episodic drinking is a high prevalent pattern of alcohol consumption among young people in several countries. Despite increasing evidence that binge drinking is associated with impairments in executive aspects of working memory (i.e. self-ordered working memory), processes known to depend on the mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann areas 46 and 9), less is known about the impact of binge drinking on prefrontal gray matter integrity. Here, we investigated the effects of binge drinking on gray matter volume of mid- dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in youths. We used voxel-based morphometry on the structural magnetic resonance images of subjects reporting a persistent (at least three years) binge drinking pattern of alcohol use (n = 11; age 22.43 ± 1.03) and control subjects (n = 21; age 22.18 ± 1.08) to measure differences in gray matter volume between both groups. In a region of interest analysis of the mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, after co-varying for age and gender, we observed significantly larger gray matter volume in the left mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann areas 46 and 9) in binge drinkers in comparison with control subjects. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between left mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex volume and Self-Ordered Pointing Test (SOPT) total errors score in binge drinkers. The left mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex volume also correlated with the quantity and speed of alcohol intake. These findings indicate that a repeated exposure to alcohol -that does not meet criteria for alcohol dependence- throughout post-adolescent years and young adulthood is linked with structural anomalies in mid-dorsolateral prefrontal regions critically involved in executive aspects of working memory.

Understanding alcohol use disorders with neuroelectrophysiology

Neurocognitive deficits associated with impairments in various brain regions and neural circuitries, particularly involving frontal lobes, have been associated with chronic alcoholism, as well as with a predisposition to develop alcohol use and related disorders (AUDs). AUD is a multifactorial disorder caused by complex interactions between behavioral, genetic, and environmental liabilities. Neuroelectrophysiologic techniques are instrumental in understanding brain and behavior relationships and have also proved very useful in evaluating the genetic diathesis of alcoholism. This chapter describes findings from neuroelectrophysiologic measures (electroencephalogram, event-related potentials, and event-related oscillations) related to acute and chronic effects of alcohol on the brain and those that reflect underlying deficits related to a predisposition to develop AUDs and related disorders. The utility of these measures as effective endophenotypes to identify and understand genes associated with brain electrophysiology, cognitive networks, and AUDs has also been discussed.

Neuropsychological functioning is compromised in binge drinking young adults with depression

For many young people, binge drinking is the most common form of alcohol misuse, particularly in those with a depressive disorder. Nonetheless, relatively little is known about the effects that the combination of depression and binge drinking has on neuropsychological outcomes. This study aimed to determine whether binge drinkers with depression show more pronounced neuropsychological dysfunction compared to their peers with depression alone or binge drinking alone. Neuropsychological testing was conducted on help-seeking young people (18-30 years) recently diagnosed with a depressive disorder and classified as either 'binge drinkers' (n=43) or 'non-bingers' (n=48). Two healthy control groups (i.e. binge drinkers, n=24 and non-bingers, n=21) were additionally recruited and also underwent the same testing. Qualitatively, binge-drinking patients with depression performed consistently below controls, depression alone, or binge drinking alone. In keeping with our hypotheses, visual learning and memory was significantly reduced in depressed binge drinkers, whereas mental flexibility was reduced at a trend level. There were no significant differences in neuropsychological performance in depressed alone or binge drinking alone individuals compared to controls. The findings suggest that when treating young people with a depressive disorder, strategies targeting binge drinking may contribute to preventing potential neurobiological changes underlying poorer long-term clinical outcomes.

Neurocognitive, psychological and behavioral correlates of binge drinking and use of alcohol with caffeinated beverages in college-aged adults

BACKGROUND

We examined event-related potential (ERP), behavioral and psychological correlates of binge drinking and the use of alcohol mixed with caffeinated beverages (AmCBs) in college-aged (18-26 years) adults.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to delineate the neurocognitive correlates of different patterns of risky alcohol use in this population.

METHODS

We collected ERP data while an initial sample of 60 participants completed visual oddball and go/no-go tasks. We also collected self-report data measuring levels of sensation seeking, impulsivity, and drinking-induced disinhibition. In our primary analyses between binge drinker (N = 17) and comparison participants (N = 29), we used analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to control for monthly marijuana usage and excluded participants who reported using other illicit drugs. As separate, exploratory analyses, we compared participants who reported using AmCBs (n = 14) and those who did not (n = 46), co-varying for monthly marijuana and recreational drug use.

RESULTS

We found that binge drinkers and AmCB users reported significantly higher levels of sensation seeking and drinking-induced disinhibition. In addition, we found that binge drinkers exhibited greater P3a/b amplitudes in the oddball task. In contrast, AmCB users exhibited significantly attenuated P3a amplitudes to distracter stimuli in the oddball task. However, we found no statistically significant differences in the amplitudes of P2(00) or N2(00) components between binge drinkers and comparison participants or between AmCB users and nonusers.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, these data suggest that binge drinking and AmCB use are associated with P3 alterations, but the specific effects may differ for individuals with different patterns of risky alcohol use.

Binge drinking trajectory and neuropsychological functioning among university students: a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Adolescence is a time of considerable neurodevelopment. Binge drinking (BD) during this period increases the vulnerability to its neurotoxic effects. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the relationship between BD trajectory over university years and neuropsychological functioning.

METHODS

Cohort-study. Two-year follow-up. A total of 89 university students were assessed: 40 Non-BD (at Initial and Follow-up), 16 Ex-BD (BD at Initial but not at Follow-up) and 33 BD (at both times). Neuropsychological assessment of working memory, episodic memory and executive abilities was carried out during their first (Initial) and third (Follow-up) academic year at the University of Santiago de Compostela.

RESULTS

BD subjects performed less well on the Wechsler Memory Scale-III (WMS-III) Logical Memory Subtest (immediate theme recall, P=.034; delayed theme recall, P=.037; and percent retention, P=.035) and committed more perseverative errors on the Self-Ordered Pointing Task (SOPT) (P=.021) than Non-BD. There were no differences between Ex-BD and Non-BD.

CONCLUSIONS

Binge drinking trajectory during adolescence is associated with neuropsychological performance. Persistent BD, but not Ex-BD, is associated with verbal memory and monitoring difficulties. This is compatible with the hypothesis that heavy alcohol use during adolescence may affect cognitive functions that rely on the temporomesial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

Gender differences in reactivity to alcohol cues in binge drinkers: a preliminary assessment of event-related potentials

Binge drinking is associated with functional brain abnormalities similar to those observed in alcoholics and can be viewed as a first step towards alcohol dependence. Adult men are twice as likely as women to develop alcoholism. This study investigates (1) the presence of alcohol cue reactivity in bingers, a feature that has been proposed to underlie the emergence of alcohol dependence; and (2) a possible higher alcohol cue reactivity in men binge drinkers which could explain their higher risk for alcohol use disorders in adulthood.The P3 component of the event-related potentials (ERPs) was recorded during a visual oddball task in which controls (n=27: 10 men and 17 women) and binge drinkers (n=29: 15 men and 14 women) had to detect infrequent deviant stimuli (related to alcohol or not) among frequent neutral stimuli. Results showed that binge drinkers, compared to light drinkers, displayed increased P3 reactivity to alcohol related cues with a greater effect among men. Our results suggest the phenomenon of alcohol cue reactivity to be a possible avenue by which a higher risk population, binge drinkers, and men in particular, are prone to develop problematic alcohol use.

Binge drinking influences the cerebral processing of vocal affective bursts in young adults

Binge drinking is now considered a central public health issue and is associated with emotional and interpersonal problems, but the neural implications of these deficits remain unexplored. The present study aimed at offering the first insights into the effects of binge drinking on the neural processing of vocal affect. On the basis of an alcohol-consumption screening phase (204 students), 24 young adults (12 binge drinkers and 12 matched controls, mean age: 23.8 years) were selected and performed an emotional categorisation task on morphed vocal stimuli (drawn from a morphed fear-anger continuum) during fMRI scanning. In comparison to controls, binge drinkers presented (1) worse behavioural performance in emotional affect categorisation; (2) reduced activation of bilateral superior temporal gyrus; and (3) increased activation of right middle frontal gyrus. These results constitute the first evidence of altered cerebral processing of emotional stimuli in binge drinking and confirm that binge drinking leads to marked cerebral changes, which has important implications for research and clinical practice.

Alcohol Consumption and Executive Functions in Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Objetivo: el consumo de alcohol entre los estudiantes universitarios se ha convertido en una preocupación creciente en los últimosaños, por lo que este estudio fue desarrollado con el objetivo de identificar el consumo de esta sustancia entre los estudiantes de enfermería.Método: se trata de un estudio transversal desarrollado en una universidad privada en la ciudad de Río de Janeiro, Brasil, con 161estudiantes que respondieron a un cuestionario autoadministrado que contiene información sociodemográfica, preguntas seleccionadasdel Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test y otros aspectos relacionados con el consumo de bebidas alcohólicas. Resultados: alta proporción(67,7 %) de los estudiantes de enfermería entrevistados reportó ser consumidores de alcohol, y el 32,1 % de ellos estaban en laorgía de consumo estándar, y casi la mitad (45,9 %) de los consumidores están expuestos al riesgo de desarrollar problemas relacionadoscon el consumo de esta sustancia. Resultados: están preocupados por el consumo de bebidas alcohólicas de los estudiantes de enfermeríaque participaron en este estudio, ya que son los futuros profesionales que inevitablemente actúan como educadores y motivadorespara la adopción de conductas saludables en la población. Conclusión: por lo tanto, se necesitan políticas y programas para prevenir elconsumo excesivo de alcohol en esta población.

Adolescence and Alcohol: a review of the literature

Up to two thirds of adolescents consume alcohol and about a quarter engage in abusive behavior at some point. Many users begin alcohol use at young ages, and binge drinking is a dominant pattern for a proportion of youth. Because neurogenesis is inhibited by ethanol, consequences of adolescent alcohol abuse include changes in brain development and impairment of neurocognitive performance. A variety of mental and psychosocial problems are also often witnessed in alcohol abusing youth. Apart from the influence exerted by genetic and psychosocial factors, the chance of developing problematic alcohol consumption is increased by consumption in a binge drinking manner and by first contact with alcohol at a young age. Discrimination of alcohol consumption within the frames of normal adolescent behavior from problematic use is still a challenging issue. Different prevention programs provide treatment either directly to the adolescent, in the context of the school, or within the frame of the adolescent's family. Although some of these efforts have been shown to be effective in reducing alcohol misuse in youth, hardly any intervention reveals satisfactory outcomes in a long-term prospect. Successful prevention strategies would need to comprise treatment of current neuropsychological impairment as well as of comorbid mental health problems and concurrent other substance misuse.

Effects of a persistent binge drinking pattern of alcohol consumption in young people: a follow-up study using event-related potentials

AIMS

The objective of this study was to examine brain activity related to visual attention processes in youths who had maintained a binge drinking (BD) pattern of alcohol consumption for >2 years.

METHODS

The participants were 57 university students (26 binge drinkers: BDs) with no personal or family history of alcoholism or psychopathological disorders in first-degree relatives. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while participants performed a visual oddball task (twice within a 2-year interval). The latency and amplitude of the P3b component of the ERPs were analysed.

RESULTS

The P3b amplitude was larger in young BDs than in aged-matched controls at both evaluation times, and the difference was more pronounced after 2 years of maintenance of a BD pattern of consumption. The larger P3b amplitude was associated with an earlier onset of regular drinking and with a greater quantity and intensity of consumption.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that young BDs exhibit anomalies in neural activity involved in attentional/working memory processes, which increase after 2 years of maintenance of BD. This anomalous neural activity may reflect underlying dysfunctions in neurophysiological mechanisms as well as the recruitment of additional attentional/working memory resources to enable the binge drinkers to perform the task adequately.

Neurotoxic effects of alcohol in adolescence

This review examines neuroimaging and neurocognitive findings on alcohol-related toxicity in adolescents. Teens who meet criteria for alcohol use disorders, as well as those who engage in subdiagnostic binge drinking behaviors, often show poorer neurocognitive performance, alterations in gray and white matter brain structure, and discrepant functional brain activation patterns when compared to nonusing and demographically matched controls. Abnormalities are also observed in teens with a family history of alcoholism, and such differences in neuromaturation may leave youths at increased risk for the development of an alcohol use disorder or increased substance use severity. More prospective investigations are needed, and future work should focus on disentangling preexisting differences from dose-dependent effects of alcohol on neurodevelopment. Intervention strategies that utilize neuroimaging findings (e.g., identified weaknesses in particular neural substrates and behavioral correlates) may be helpful in both prevention and intervention campaigns for teens both pre- and postinitiation of alcohol use.

Neurotoxic effects of alcohol in adolescence

This review examines neuroimaging and neurocognitive findings on alcohol-related toxicity in adolescents. Teens who meet criteria for alcohol use disorders, as well as those who engage in subdiagnostic binge drinking behaviors, often show poorer neurocognitive performance, alterations in gray and white matter brain structure, and discrepant functional brain activation patterns when compared to nonusing and demographically matched controls. Abnormalities are also observed in teens with a family history of alcoholism, and such differences in neuromaturation may leave youths at increased risk for the development of an alcohol use disorder or increased substance use severity. More prospective investigations are needed, and future work should focus on disentangling preexisting differences from dose-dependent effects of alcohol on neurodevelopment. Intervention strategies that utilize neuroimaging findings (e.g., identified weaknesses in particular neural substrates and behavioral correlates) may be helpful in both prevention and intervention campaigns for teens both pre- and postinitiation of alcohol use.

Differential effects of alcohol on contrast processing mediated by the magnocellular and parvocellular pathways

This study investigated how acute alcohol intake affects contrast processing mediated by inferred magnocellular (MC) and parvocellular (PC) pathways. Achromatic contrast discrimination thresholds were measured in 16 young healthy participants using a steady-pedestal, pulsed-pedestal or pedestal-Δ-pedestal paradigm designed to favor the inferred MC or the PC pathway. Each participant completed two randomized sessions that included consumption of either 0.8 g/kg alcohol or a placebo beverage, with each session consisting of contrast discrimination measurements at baseline and at 60 min following beverage consumption. The results showed that, compared to placebo, alcohol significantly reduced MC contrast sensitivity and PC contrast gain but had no effect on PC contrast sensitivity for the majority of the participants; and did not alter MC contrast gain consistently across participants. The decrease in contrast gain in the PC pathway can be interpreted as a degradation of the postretinal signal-to-noise ratio, whereas the decrease of sensitivity in the MC pathway likely results from a change of cortical processing.

Hyperactivation of right inferior frontal cortex in young binge drinkers during response inhibition: a follow-up study

AIMS

The objective of this study was to examine brain activity, with particular attention to prefrontal function, during response execution and inhibition in youths who have engaged in binge drinking (BD) for at least 2 years.

DESIGN

Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded twice within 3 years, during performance of a Go/NoGo task.

SETTING

The study was part of a longitudinal study of the neurocognitive effects of BD.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 48 undergraduate students, 25 controls (14 females) and 23 binge drinkers (10 females), with no personal or family history of alcoholism or psychopathological disorders.

MEASUREMENTS

The Go-P3 and NoGo-P3 components of the ERPs were examined by principal component analysis and exact low-resolution tomography analysis (eLORETA).

FINDINGS

Binge drinkers showed larger Go-P3 amplitudes than controls in the first and second evaluations (P = 0.019). They also showed larger NoGo-P3 amplitude in the second evaluation (P = 0.002). eLORETA analyses in the second evaluation revealed significantly greater activation of the right inferior frontal cortex (rIFC) in binge drinkers than in controls during successful inhibition (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Young binge drinkers appear to show abnormal brain activity as measured by event-related potentials during response execution and inhibition which may represent a neural antecedent of difficulties in impulse control.

Age of first use and delay to first intoxication in relation to trajectories of heavy drinking and alcohol-related problems during emerging adulthood

BACKGROUND

Using alcohol at an early age is a well-documented risk factor for heavy drinking and the experience of a range of negative social and health consequences. However, it remains unclear if early consumption of any alcohol or early drinking to intoxication confers the greatest risk.

METHODS

Age of onset (AO) and delay to first intoxication (delay) were examined as independent predictors of heavy drinking and the experience of alcohol-related problems (problems) in a sample of incoming college freshmen (n = 1,160) who completed biannual assessments from the summer following senior year of high school through senior year of college. The sample included more women (66%) than men and a majority were Caucasian (59%). We employed latent growth curve modeling to examine self-reported AO and delay to self-defined first intoxication as predictors of the frequency of heavy drinking and problems during year 4 of college, as well as changes in these alcohol-related outcomes from high school through college.

RESULTS

An earlier AO and/or a shorter delay was associated with increased frequency of heavy drinking and problems during senior year of college. Although individuals with a later AO and/or a longer delay were at lower risk overall, they showed larger increases in heavy drinking and problems over time.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between AO and delay to first intoxication. Delay accounted for unique variance in drinking outcomes relative to AO, and the effects of AO were stronger when delay was included as a predictor variable. Results are discussed with regard to potential mechanisms through which an early age of intoxication may confer unique risk relative to AO. The implications for cross-cultural differences in risk for problems attributable to early drinking are also discussed.

Lifestyle and health among Spanish university students: differences by gender and academic discipline

Today the need to analyze health behaviour from a gender perspective is as imminent as ever, particularly at university, where the number of women who register is on the rise and has exceeded the number of male students worldwide. We carried out a prevalence study aimed at analyzing Spanish university students’ lifestyles and identify differences according to gender and academic discipline. Of 3,646 eligible subjects doing university courses related to health (Group A), education (Group B) and other professions (Group C), 985 (27.0%) participated in the study. Information was elicited about their physical activity level, disturbed eating attitudes, consumption of alcohol, tobacco and illegal substances. Prevalence and Odds Ratios (OR) were calculated according to sex and kind of academic discipline. The obtained data confirmed that only 27.4% of the students were considered as sufficiently active, while 14.9% of them suffered from disturbed eating attitudes (DEA). Women were particularly less active (OR 0.46 (0.32–0.66); p < 0.0001), and more sedentary than men (OR 1.40 (1.00–1.97); p = 0.03). Binge drinking was more frequent in female than in male students (OR 1.79 (1.29–2.47); p = 0.0004). A third of the analyzed sample admitted that they had used illegal substances, while a lower consumption prevalence was found in women (OR 0.53 (0.40–0.71); p < 0.0001). The studied population was not very active (27.4%), especially women (OR = 0.45). Therefore, it seems that Spanish university students lead an unhealthy lifestyle, a situation which seems more conspicuous amongst females.

Increased amplitude of P3 event-related potential in young binge drinkers

The aim of the present study was to determine how binge drinking (BD) affects brain functioning in male and female university students during the performance of a visual discrimination task. Thirty two binge drinkers and 53 controls (non binge drinkers), with no history of other drug use, personal or family history of alcoholism or psychopathological disorders, were selected. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded during the performance of a visual oddball task. The latency and amplitude of the N2 and P3b components of the ERPs were analyzed. There were no differences between the groups in behavioral measures, but P3b amplitudes were significantly larger in binge drinkers than controls. This may suggest the presence of anomalies in neural processes mediating attention processing, or an imbalance (increased) of neuronal activity in P3b generators caused by the presence of BD pattern for a long time.

Alcohol-related context modulates performance of social drinkers in a visual Go/No-Go task: a preliminary assessment of event-related potentials

Background

Increased alcohol cue-reactivity and altered inhibitory processing have been reported in heavy social drinkers and alcohol-dependent patients, and are associated with relapse. In social drinkers, these two processes have been usually studied separately by recording event-related potentials (ERPs) during rapid picture presentation. The aim of our study was to confront social drinkers to a task triggering high alcohol cue-reactivity, to verify whether it specifically altered inhibitory performance, by using long-lasting background picture presentation.

Methods

ERP were recorded during visual Go/No-Go tasks performed by social drinkers, in which a frequent Go signal (letter “M”), and a rare No-Go signal (letter “W”) were superimposed on three different types of background pictures: neutral (black background), alcohol-related and non alcohol-related.

Results

Our data suggested that heavy social drinkers made more commission errors than light drinkers, but only in the alcohol-related context. Neurophysiologically, this was reflected by a delayed No-Go P3 component.

Conclusions

Elevated alcohol cue-reactivity may lead to poorer inhibitory performance in heavy social drinkers, and may be considered as an important vulnerability factor in developing alcohol misuse. Prevention programs should be designed to decrease the high arousal of alcohol stimuli and strengthen cognitive control in young, at-risk individuals.

The effects of heavy social drinking on executive function: a systematic review and meta-analytic study of existing literature and new empirical findings

BACKGROUND

Previous investigations of executive function in alcohol dependent and in social drinkers have not always produced consistent results and have not utilised key indicators of recent theoretical models of Executive Function (EF). The present paper reports the results of two studies that seek to address these limitations.

METHOD

Study 1 took the form of a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining EF in social drinkers. In Study 2, 41 participants completed an alcohol use inventory and were assigned to either light or heavy alcohol use via median split of average weekly dose. Participants completed measures of the fractionated executive processes of updating, shifting, inhibition and access to semantic memory.

RESULTS

Study 1 only identified seven studies of EF in social drinkers, and the mean effect size was non-significant. In study 2, the heavy alcohol use group performed worse on all measures of executive functioning except memory updating.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this is the first systematic investigation of executive functioning in social drinkers. Given that the participants were non-treatment seeking social drinking students, the EF deficit in the heavy user group is particularly worrying and could increase the likelihood of developing an alcohol use disorder.

Neuroimaging for drug addiction and related behaviors

In this review, we highlight the role of neuroimaging techniques in studying the emotional and cognitive-behavioral components of the addiction syndrome by focusing on the neural substrates subserving them. The phenomenology of drug addiction can be characterized by a recurrent pattern of subjective experiences that includes drug intoxication, craving, bingeing, and withdrawal with the cycle culminating in a persistent preoccupation with obtaining, consuming, and recovering from the drug. In the past two decades, imaging studies of drug addiction have demonstrated deficits in brain circuits related to reward and impulsivity. The current review focuses on studies employing positron emission tomography (PET), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and electroencephalography (EEG) to investigate these behaviors in drug-addicted human populations. We begin with a brief account of drug addiction followed by a technical account of each of these imaging modalities. We then discuss how these techniques have uniquely contributed to a deeper understanding of addictive behaviors.

Early attentional modulation by alcohol-related cues in young binge drinkers: an event-related potentials study

OBJECTIVE

Episodic excessive alcohol consumption (i.e., binge drinking) is now considered to be a major concern in our society. Previous studies have shown that alcohol cues can capture attentional resources in chronic alcoholic populations and that the phenomenon is associated with the development and maintenance of alcoholism. Using event-related potentials (ERPs), we investigated the responses of binge drinkers to alcohol-related pictures.

METHODS

Two groups of college students (n=18 in each group) were recruited for the study. One group was composed of binge drinkers and the other of controls. Each student completed a simple visual oddball paradigm in which alcohol-related and non-alcohol-related pictures (positive, neutral or negative) were presented. ERPs were recorded to explore the electrophysiological activity associated with the processing of each cue during the different cognitive steps.

RESULTS

Although there were no behavioural differences between the two groups after detection of alcohol- and non-alcohol-related cues, the ERP data indicated that processing of alcohol-related stimuli was modulated by binge drinking: in the binge drinkers, the P100 amplitudes elicited by the alcohol-related pictures were significantly larger than those elicited by the non-alcohol pictures.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study provides evidence for an early processing enhancement, indexed by increased P100 amplitude, in binge drinkers when confronted with alcohol cues.

SIGNIFICANCE

These findings suggest that higher reactivity to alcohol cues is not a phenomenon limited to adult alcoholics, but that young binge drinkers exhibit signs of prioritizing processing related to alcohol. Prevention intervention for alcohol misuse in young people should consider approaches that address this automatic cue reactivity.

Cerebral effects of binge drinking: respective influences of global alcohol intake and consumption pattern

OBJECTIVE

Binge drinking is a major health concern, but its cerebral correlates are still largely unexplored. We aimed at exploring (1) the cognitive step at which these deficits appear and (2) the respective influence of global alcohol intake and specific binge-drinking consumption pattern on this deficit.

METHODS

On the basis of a screening phase (593 students), 80 participants were selected and distributed in four groups (control non-drinkers, daily drinkers, low and high binge drinkers). Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while performing a simple visual oddball task.

RESULTS

Binge drinking was associated with massive ERP impairments, starting at the perceptive level (P100/N100 and N170/P2) and spreading through the attentional (N2b/P3a) and decisional (P3b) ones. Moreover, these deficits were linked with global alcohol intake and also with the specific binge-drinking consumption pattern.

CONCLUSIONS

Binge drinkers presented early and global ERP deficits, affecting basic and high-level cognitive stages. Moreover, we showed that binge drinking is deleterious for the brain because of alcohol consumption per se, and also because of its specific consumption pattern.

SIGNIFICANCE

The present results show that binge-drinking habits lead to striking brain consequences, particularly because of the repeated alternation between intense intoxications and withdrawal episodes.

Neurocognitive deficits in male alcoholics: an ERP/sLORETA analysis of the N2 component in an equal probability Go/NoGo task

In alcoholism research, studies concerning time-locked electrophysiological aspects of response inhibition have concentrated mainly on the P3 component of the event-related potential (ERP). The objective of the present study was to investigate the N2 component of the ERP to elucidate possible brain dysfunction related to the motor response and its inhibition using a Go/NoGo task in alcoholics. The sample consisted of 78 abstinent alcoholic males and 58 healthy male controls. The N2 peak was compared across group and task conditions. Alcoholics showed significantly reduced N2 peak amplitudes compared to normal controls for Go as well as NoGo task conditions. Control subjects showed significantly larger NoGo than Go N2 amplitudes at frontal regions, whereas alcoholics did not show any differences between task conditions at frontal regions. Standardized low resolution electromagnetic tomography analysis (sLORETA) indicated that alcoholics had significantly lower current density at the source than control subjects for the NoGo condition at bilateral anterior prefrontal regions, whereas the differences between groups during the Go trials were not statistically significant. Furthermore, NoGo current density across both groups revealed significantly more activation in bilateral anterior cingulate cortical (ACC) areas, with the maximum activation in the right cingulate regions. However, the magnitude of this difference was much less in alcoholics compared to control subjects. These findings suggest that alcoholics may have deficits in effortful processing during the motor response and its inhibition, suggestive of possible frontal lobe dysfunction.

Molecular and behavioral aspects of the actions of alcohol on the adult and developing brain

The brain is one of the major target organs of alcohol actions. Alcohol abuse can lead to alterations in brain structure and functions and, in some cases, to neurodegeneration. Cognitive deficits and alcohol dependence are highly damaging consequences of alcohol abuse. Clinical and experimental studies have demonstrated that the developing brain is particularly vulnerable to alcohol, and that drinking during gestation can lead to a range of physical, learning and behavioral defects (fetal alcohol spectrum disorders), with the most dramatic presentation corresponding to fetal alcohol syndrome. Recent findings also indicate that adolescence is a stage of brain maturation and that heavy drinking at this stage can have a negative impact on brain structure and functions causing important short- and long-term cognitive and behavioral consequences. The effects of alcohol on the brain are not uniform; some brain areas or cell populations are more vulnerable than others. The prefrontal cortex, the hippocampus, the cerebellum, the white matter and glial cells are particularly susceptible to the effects of ethanol. The molecular actions of alcohol on the brain are complex and involve numerous mechanisms and signaling pathways. Some of the mechanisms involved are common for the adult brain and for the developing brain, while others depend on the developmental stage. During brain ontogeny, alcohol causes irreversible alterations to the brain structure. It also impairs several molecular, neurochemical and cellular events taking place during normal brain development, including alterations in both gene expression regulation and the molecules involved in cell-cell interactions, interference with the mitogenic and growth factor response, enhancement of free radical formation and derangements of glial cell functions. However, in both adult and adolescent brains, alcohol damages specific brain areas through mechanisms involving excitotoxicity, free radical formation and neuroinflammatory damage resulting from activation of the innate immune system mediated by TLR4 receptors. Alcohol also acts on specific membrane proteins, such as neurotransmitter receptors (e.g. NMDA, GABA-A), ion channels (e.g. L-type Ca²⁺ channels, GIRKs), and signaling pathways (e.g. PKA and PKC signaling). These effects might underlie the wide variety of behavioral effects induced by ethanol drinking. The neuroadaptive changes affecting neurotransmission systems which are more sensitive to the acute effects of alcohol occur after long-term alcohol consumption. Alcohol-induced maladaptations in the dopaminergic mesolimbic system, abnormal plastic changes in the reward-related brain areas and genetic and epigenetic factors may all contribute to alcohol reinforcement and alcohol addiction. This manuscript reviews the mechanisms by which ethanol impacts the adult and the developing brain, and causes both neural impairments and cognitive and behavioral dysfunctions. The identification and the understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in ethanol toxicity might contribute to the development of treatments and/or therapeutic agents that could reduce or eliminate the deleterious effects of alcohol on the brain.

Impulsivity and executive functions in polysubstance-using rave attenders

OBJECTIVES

Rave parties are characterized by high levels of drug use and polysubstance-using patterns that may be especially harmful for psychological and neuropsychological functioning. The aim of this study was to conduct a comprehensive assessment of different aspects of impulsivity and executive functions in a sample of polysubstance-using rave attenders.

METHODS

We collected data from two groups: rave attenders (RvA, n = 25) and drug-free healthy comparison individuals (HCI, n = 27). RvA were regular users of cannabis, cocaine, methampethamine, hallucinogens, and alcohol. The assessment protocol included a drug-taking interview, the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, the delay-discounting questionnaire and a set of neuropsychological tests taxing different aspects of executive functions: response speed, working memory, reasoning, response inhibition and switching, self-regulation, decision making, and emotion perception.

RESULTS

For impulsivity measures, RvA had significantly elevated scores on lack of perseverance and positive and negative urgency, but did not differ from controls on lack of premeditation or sensation seeking. For neuropsychological functioning, RvA had significantly poorer performance on indices of analogical reasoning, processing speed, working memory, inhibition/switching errors, and decision making, but performed similar to controls on indices of self-regulation, reversal learning, and emotion processing. Peak and binge alcohol and drug use were positively correlated with positive urgency, and negatively correlated with performance on executive indices.

CONCLUSION

Rave attenders have selective alterations of impulsive personality and executive functions. These findings can contribute to delineate the neuropsychological profiles that distinguish recreational polysubstance use from substance dependence.