Incapacitated and/or Forcible Rape Experience Predicting College Women's Rape Victim Empathy

Rape experience is common and victim empathy may help address it (e.g., prevention, victim support). We examined rape victim empathy based on type of rape experience (none, incapacitated, forcible, combined). Undergraduate women (n = 658) completed the Rape Victim Empathy-During Subscale and Sexual Experiences Survey-Short Form Victimization. Rape experience was associated with greater empathy, especially for those with any forcible experience. Perhaps due to weaker memory of their own rape event, incapacitated victims may be relatively less able than forcible victims to understand another victim's perspective during a rape. Researchers should consider examining incapacitated and forcible rape as distinct experiences.

Within-person associations between alcohol use and memory lapses among middle-aged and older adults

INTRODUCTION

Alcohol use has been linked to impairment in both short- and long-term measures of objective memory. However, limited research has investigated the association between alcohol use and subjective memory in everyday life. The study purpose was to investigate within- and between-person associations between daily alcohol use and prospective (i.e., forgetting an intended task) and retrospective (i.e., forgetting something learned in the past) memory lapses among middle-aged and older adults.

METHODS

Participants (n = 925; Mage  = 55.2) were non-abstaining adults from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study or the MIDUS Refresher who participated in an 8-day telephone diary asking about their daily experiences.

RESULTS

Multilevel models revealed that within-individuals, heavier-than-usual alcohol use (i.e., having more drinks than one's daily average number of drinks) was associated with greater odds of reporting any memory lapses (odds ratio [OR] 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01, 1.12), while associations at the between-person level were nonsignificant (OR 1.07; 95% CI 0.99, 1.16). When assessing retrospective and prospective lapses separately, alcohol use was only associated with prospective lapses and only at the between-person level (OR 1.10; 95% CI 1.01, 1.19). Finally, alcohol use was unassociated with reported irritation or interference from memory lapses (p > 0.05).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Heavier-than-usual alcohol use may have acute effects on daily memory functioning. Future studies should assess how alcohol use relates to an individual's ability to meet daily cognitive demands, as these findings may have critical implications for harm reduction efforts targeting daily functioning among older adults.

Alterations of theta power and synchrony during encoding in young adult binge drinkers: Subsequent memory effects associated with retrieval after 48 h and 6 months

Introduction

Young emerging adults commonly engage in binge drinking which is associated with a range of neurocognitive deficits, including memory impairments. However, evidence on neural oscillations mediating episodic memory in this population is lacking. To address this gap, we recorded theta oscillatory activity in young binge (BDs) and light drinkers (LDs) during memory encoding and analyzed it prospectively as a function of subsequent retrieval. Theta underlies successful encoding of novel items in memory through corticolimbic integration. Subsequent memory effects (SMEs) are reflected in stronger theta activity during encoding of the items that are later remembered compared to those that are later forgotten.

Methods

In the present study, 23 BDs (age: 23.3 ± 3.3) and 24 LDs (age: 23.4 ± 3.3) rated emotionally evocative images with negative, positive, and neutral themes during implicit encoding. They performed a recognition memory task on two follow-up occasions after a short (48 h), and long retention delay (6 months). Electroencephalography (EEG) signal was recorded during the encoding session and analyzed in time-frequency domain with Morlet wavelets in theta band (4-7 Hz). To evaluate SMEs, the event-related theta oscillations acquired during encoding were analyzed based on recognition outcomes after the two retention intervals.

Results

The BD and LD groups did not differ on recognition memory. However, BDs showed attenuated event-related theta power during encoding of images that were successfully retained after 6 months compared to LDs. In addition, theta synchronous activity between frontal and left posterior regions during encoding successfully predicted recognition of the images after both retention delays in LDs but not in BDs. These SMEs on theta power and synchrony correlated negatively with high-intensity drinking in the previous 6 months. No differences between men and women were observed for any analysis.

Discussion

It has been well established that long-range neural synchrony between cortical and limbic nodes underlies successful memory encoding and retention which, in turn, depends on neural excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance. Given that binge drinking is associated with E/I dysregulation, the observed SME deficiencies are consistent with other evidence of neural hyperexcitability in BDs, and may be indicative of increased risk of developing alcohol use disorders.

Alcohol-Induced Retrograde Facilitation?

Somewhat counterintuitively, alcohol consumption following learning of new information has been shown to enhance performance on a delayed subsequent memory test. This phenomenon has become known as the retrograde facilitation effect (Parker et al., 1981). Although conceptually replicated repeatedly, serious methodological problems are associated with most previous demonstrations of retrograde facilitation. Moreover, two potential explanations have been proposed, the interference and the consolidation hypothesis. So far, empirical evidence for and against both hypotheses is inconclusive (Wixted, 2004). To scrutinize the existence of the effect, we conducted a pre-registered replication that avoided common methodological pitfalls. In addition, we used Küpper-Tetzel and Erdfelder's (2012) multinomial processing tree (MPT) model to disentangle encoding, maintenance, and retrieval contributions to memory performance. With a total sample size of N = 93, we found no evidence for retrograde facilitation in overall cued or free recall of previously presented word pairs. In line with this, MPT analyses also showed no reliable difference in maintenance probabilities. However, MPT analyses revealed a robust alcohol advantage in retrieval. We conclude that alcohol-induced retrograde facilitation might exist and be driven by an underlying retrieval benefit. Future research is needed to investigate potential moderators and mediators of the effect explicitly.

What does current science tell us about the accuracy, reliability, and completeness of intoxicated witnesses? A case example of the murder of a prime minister

Generally, the testimony of intoxicated witnesses has been considered relatively unreliable, but recent research has nuanced the knowledge base regarding these vulnerable witnesses.

Effects of alcohol on sleep and nocturnal heart rate: Relationships to intoxication and morning-after effects

BACKGROUND

Alcohol consumption produces feelings of well-being and stimulation, but also impairs psychomotor performance, disturbs cardiovascular function and sleep, and can disrupt next-day mood and behavior. A deeper understanding of how the acute effects of alcohol relate to its sleep and morning-after effects is needed to minimize harm resulting from its use. This study examined relationships between the effects of a high dose of alcohol on subjective and psychomotor measures, nocturnal heart rate, sleep quality, and morning-after mood and behavior. We hypothesized that alcohol would produce disturbances in cardiovascular and sleep regulation during the night, which would predict morning-after mood and behavioral performance.

METHODS

Thirty-one men and women participated in two overnight laboratory visits during which they consumed either alcohol (1.0 g/kg for men, 0.85 g/kg for women) or placebo (randomized, crossover design). They consumed the beverage from 8 to 9 pm, and remained in the laboratory overnight for polysomnographic sleep recording. Subjective and behavioral measures were obtained during consumption and at 7-8 am the morning after.

RESULTS

Alcohol increased both negative and positive arousal, urge to drink and sedation, and it impaired performance on behavioral tasks. During sleep, alcohol produced expected tachycardia and detriments in sleep quality including decreased total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and altered sleep architecture. Only modest effects on mood or performance were detected the following morning. The acute sedative-like effects of alcohol were related to increases in N2 sleep, but not to other disruptions in sleep or nocturnal heart rate, and neither sleep impairments nor nocturnal heart rate were related to mood or task performance the morning after.

CONCLUSIONS

The effects of alcohol on sleep and nocturnal heart rate were not strongly related to either its acute or morning-after effects. These findings do not provide strong support for the idea that alcohol-induced sleep disruptions underlie morning-after effects.

A conceptual model of alcohol use and adherence to antiretroviral therapy: systematic review and theoretical implications for mechanisms of action

Alcohol consumption is one of the most prevalent correlates of antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, yet causal processes underlying this association remain largely unexplored. The goal of this systematic review was to develop a conceptual model that describes the causal effect of alcohol consumption on ART nonadherence. We reviewed 230 studies that examined the association between alcohol consumption and ART adherence with three primary aims: (1) to replicate and extend previous reviews of the literature, (2) to summarize and critique study designs capable of answering questions about temporal overlap and (3) to summarize potential mechanisms of action. A model of alcohol-associated ART nonadherence was proposed to guide future work, integrating general theories of ART adherence and theory on the psychological and behavioral effects of alcohol intoxication. The conceptual model describes two mechanistic processes-prospective memory impairment and interactive toxicity beliefs/avoidance behaviors-involved in alcohol-associated intentional and unintentional nonadherence, respectively. This model can be used to guide future research on the causal processes involved in the frequently observed correlation between alcohol consumption and adherence.

Effects of acute alcohol administration on working memory: a systematic review and meta-analysis

RATIONALE

Alcohol-induced executive function deficits may underlie associations between alcohol, self-regulation, and hazardous behaviors. Studies examining the effects of alcohol administration on working memory, an important executive functioning component, have produced mixed findings. Acute alcohol effects on working memory remain unclear.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of acute alcohol administration on working memory outcomes in studies of healthy adults.

METHODS

We performed a systematic search of PubMed, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO from inception to June 2021. Studies were included if they met criteria, including healthy participants and administration of quantified alcohol doses against comparative controls. Data extracted included primary working memory outcomes, alcohol doses, and study characteristics. Study quality was assessed using an established validity measure. Working memory task type, alcohol dose, control condition type, and sex/gender composition were explored as moderators using mixed-effects models and meta-regressions.

RESULTS

Thirty-two studies (1629 participants) provided sufficient data for 54 comparisons between alcohol and control conditions. Random-effects meta-analysis indicated that alcohol administration produced significant, small- to medium-sized working memory decrements (g [95% CI] =  - 0.300 [- 0.390 to - 0.211], p < 0.001). Moderation analyses suggested that these effects differed as a function of task type, dose, control condition type, and sex/gender composition. The average quality rating across studies was good.

CONCLUSIONS

Alcohol administration significantly impaired working memory performance, particularly when executive-related manipulation processes were involved. Future research is needed to investigate how alcohol-induced working memory impairments relate to compromised self-regulation, hazardous behavior, and negative drinking consequences.

Police Decision-Making in the Absence of Evidence-Based Guidelines: Assessment of Alcohol-Intoxicated Eyewitnesses

Regarding police procedures with alcohol-intoxicated witnesses, Swedish police officers have previously reported inconsistent and subjective decisions when interviewing these potentially vulnerable witnesses. Most officers have also highlighted the need for national policy guidelines aiding in conducting investigative interviews with intoxicated witnesses. The aims of the two studies presented here were to investigate whether (1) police officers' inconsistent interview decisions are attributable to a lack of research-based knowledge; (2) their decision to interview, as well as their perceptions of the witnesses' credibility could be influenced by scientific research; and (3) police officers decision-making and perceptions of witness credibility are biased by pre-existing social norms. In two separate randomized online experiments, police professionals and recruits (Study 1, N = 43; Study 2, N = 214) watched a recorded fictive witness interview to which they were asked to rate the probability of interviewing the witness, the witness' credibility, and to estimate the witness' level of intoxication. Results showed that interview probability and perceived witness credibility were affected by witness intoxication level. While it cannot be stated definitely from the present research, these findings provided indications that police officers and recruits lacked research-based knowledge. Results also showed that interview probability, but not perceptions of credibility, was influenced by a research-based message. In line with research, interview probability for the most intoxicated witness increased after reading the message. Unexpectedly, neither interview probability nor witness credibility was affected by social norms. The current findings added to the legal psychology literature by showing that a breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) as low as .04% was enough for police officers and recruits to consider intoxicated witnesses less credible than sober witnesses. Findings also indicated that, despite the lower credibility assessment, police may have some understanding that these witnesses can be interviewed at low intoxication levels (i.e., around .04%). However, this willingness to interview intoxicated witnesses ceased at a BrAC lower than the levels where research has found intoxicated witnesses as reliable as sober witnesses (i.e., BrAC < .10%). Future directions for research and policy development as well as theoretical and practical implications of the present findings are discussed.

Deficits in episodic future thinking following acute alcohol consumption

RATIONALE

Acute alcohol consumption adversely affects many cognitive abilities, including episodic memory and executive functioning. However, no study to date has tested whether these acute effects of alcohol also extend to episodic future thinking (EFT). This is a surprising omission given that EFT refers to the ability to imagine oneself experiencing the future, a highly adaptive ability that has been implicated in many important functional behaviours. EFT is also thought to impose demands on episodic memory and executive control.

OBJECTIVES

The current study was designed to provide the first test of whether a moderate dose of alcohol influences EFT and whether any observed EFT difficulties are secondary to broader problems in episodic memory and executive functioning. Sex differences in EFT following acute alcohol consumption were also examined.

METHODS

One hundred and twenty-four healthy adult social drinkers were recruited and randomly assigned to either the alcohol (n = 61) or placebo (n = 63) condition. Participants were administered a dose of 0.6 g/kg alcohol or a matched placebo drink.

RESULTS

Relative to the placebo condition, EFT was impaired by acute alcohol consumption. This impairment was underpinned by broader difficulties with episodic memory, but not executive functioning. There were no sex differences in EFT performance following acute alcohol use.

CONCLUSION

These data provide novel insights into the effects of acute alcohol consumption on EFT and the broader cognitive mechanisms that contribute to these difficulties. The results are discussed in relation to their implications for understanding many of the maladaptive behaviours commonly associated with acute alcohol use.

Subgroups in Late Adulthood Are Associated With Cognition and Wellbeing Later in Life

Objectives: In this study, we aim to discover whether there are valid subgroups in aging that are defined by modifiable factors and are determinant of clinically relevant outcomes regarding healthy aging.

Method: Data from interviews were collected in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam at two measurement occasions with a 3-year interval. Input for the analyses were seven well-known vulnerability and protective factors of healthy aging. By means of community detection, we tested whether we could distinguish subgroups in a sample of 1478 participants (T1-sample, aged 61–101 years). We tested both the external validity (T1) and predictive validity (T2) for wellbeing and subjective cognitive decline. Moreover, replicability and long-term stability were determined in 1186 participants (T2-sample, aged 61–101 years).

Results: Three similar subgroups were identified at T1 and T2. Subgroup A was characterized by high levels of education with personal vulnerabilities, subgroup B by being physically active with low support and low levels of education, and subgroup C by high levels of support with low levels of education. Subgroup C showed the lowest wellbeing and memory profile, both at T1 and T2. On most measures of wellbeing and memory, subgroups A and B did not differ from each other. At T2, the same number of subgroups was identified and subgroup profiles at T1 and T2 were practically identical. Per T1 subgroup 47–62% retained their membership at T2.

Discussion: We identified valid subgroups that replicate over time and differ on external variables at current and later measurement occasions. Individual change in subgroup membership over time shows that transitions to subgroups with better outcomes are possible.

Prospective memory deficits following acute alcohol consumption

BACKGROUND

Prospective memory is a critical neurocognitive capacity that refers to the ability to execute delayed intentions. To date, few studies have investigated the effects of acute alcohol consumption on prospective memory, and important questions remain about the mechanisms that might underpin acute alcohol-induced prospective memory impairment.

AIMS

The current study sought to clarify the nature and magnitude of prospective memory difficulties following acute alcohol consumption and to test the degree to which any problems with prospective remembering might be a secondary consequence of broader cognitive impairment. This study also investigated whether there were potential sex differences.

METHODS

In all, 124 healthy adult social drinkers were assigned to either the alcohol (n = 61) or placebo (n = 63) condition. Participants were administered a dose of 0.6 g/kg alcohol or a matched placebo drink and then asked to complete a measure of prospective memory. A broader neurocognitive test battery was also administered.

RESULTS

Relative to the placebo condition, acute alcohol intoxication led to significant impairment on all prospective memory tasks, with effects mostly large in magnitude. These difficulties could not be explained by broader problems in retrospective memory, executive function or episodic future thinking. In addition, females recorded a higher blood alcohol concentration than males; however, no sex differences in prospective memory performance were identified following acute alcohol use.

CONCLUSION

The results show that acutely, even a moderate dose of alcohol substantially impairs prospective memory function. These findings have potentially important implications for understanding many of the maladaptive behaviours associated with acute alcohol consumption.

Hazy memories in the courtroom: A review of alcohol and other drug effects on false memory and suggestibility

Alcohol and other psychoactive drugs are oftentimes implicated in legal cases. A pertinent question herein is whether such substances might adversely affect testimonies of victims, eyewitnesses, or suspects by propelling the formation of false memory and increasing susceptibility to suggestion. In the current review, we amassed all available evidence on the effects of intoxication on false memory formation and suggestibility, including the substances alcohol, benzodiazepines, cannabis, stimulants, hallucinogens, and antipsychotics. Our review indicated that alcohol and cannabis under certain conditions increased the susceptibility to false memories and/or suggestion with effect sizes ranging from medium to large. When intoxicated during an event, alcohol is most likely to increase this susceptibility at high intoxication levels or after a delay, whereas cannabis exerts detrimental effects during acute intoxication but not necessarily once sober. For other substances, ecologically valid research separating different memory phases is needed. Overall, differences between substances regarding false memory effects exist, suggesting that a nuanced approach is needed when dealing with intoxicated individuals in a legal context.

Acute Stress Symptoms After Forcible and Substance-Involved Rapes

In the early aftermath of a sexual assault, survivors often experience symptoms of distress including reexperiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal symptoms. However, less is known about associations between rape characteristics and the nature of early reactions. We designed the current study to examine the unique and combined associations between force and substances during rape on acute stress symptoms. Participants were 56 women (ages 18 to 58) who completed a sexual assault medical forensic exam in the emergency department within 120 hours of the rape and then completed a follow-up clinical phone screening within 30 days of the forensic exam. Follow-up assessments included characteristics of the recent rape (force, substances), history of prior sexual assault, demographics, and symptoms of acute stress. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that, after controlling for prior sexual assault, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity, there were no significant differences on any symptom cluster by rape type. However, this study involved a small, difficult-to-reach sample and, therefore, was only powered to detect large effect sizes. We encourage more research examining potentially unique, early symptom presentations for substance-involved rapes.

Cerebrolysin attenuates ethanol-induced spatial memory impairments through inhibition of hippocampal oxidative stress and apoptotic cell death in rats

The present study investigates the potential neuroprotective effect of cerebrolysin (CBL), a combination of neurotrophic factors, on the cognitive and biochemical alterations induced by chronic ethanol administration in rats. The animals were divided into five groups as follows: control; ethanol (4 g/kg, for 30 days) plus normal saline (Ethanol + NS); ethanol plus CBL 1 mL/kg (Ethanol + CBL 1), ethanol plus CBL 2.5 mL/kg (Ethanol + CBL 2.5); and ethanol plus CBL 5 mL/kg (Ethanol + CBL 5). The Morris water maze (MWM) test was performed to assess cognitive impairment. The status of the lipid peroxidation marker MDA, antioxidant capacity, as well as alterations of the apoptotic factors such as Bcl-2, BAX, and cleaved caspase-9 and -3, were evaluated in the hippocampus. The results showed that CBL treatment not only normalized the increased MDA levels in the alcoholic rats and enhanced antioxidant defense, but also reduced the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and cleaved caspase-9 and -3 in the hippocampus. These results were parallel with improvement in spatial memory performance in the MWM test. The findings of the present study provide evidence for the promising therapeutic effect of CBL in chronic ethanol consumption through counteracting oxidative stress and apoptosis markers.

Are trauma memories state-dependent? Intrusive memories following alcohol-involved sexual assault

Background: Sexual assault (SA) frequently occurs under the influence of alcohol, and is often followed by both drinking and posttraumatic stress symptoms, including intrusive memories. Although many theories attempt to explain the co-occurrence of alcohol use and posttraumatic stress, one possibility not yet considered is that SA memories may be more likely to occur when there is an encoding-retrieval match in alcohol intoxication state. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the potential for intrusive memories of SA to be state-dependent, such that intrusive memories for alcohol-involved SA may be more likely to occur in the context of subsequent alcohol intoxication. Method: Participants were 100 college women (age range = 18 to 24 years; 73% White/Caucasian, 89% heterosexual) with a history of alcohol-involved SA (67%) or other, non-alcohol-involved SA (33%). Participants completed daily questionnaires for 30 days assessing past-day drinking and intrusion symptoms. Results: A random-intercept, negative binomial multilevel model revealed that, after controlling for overall frequency of drinking and perceived threat during SA, women with a history of alcohol-involved SA reported more severe intrusion symptoms on drinking days than on non-drinking days. No such difference in intrusions was observed for women who were not intoxicated at the time of the assault. Conclusions: Findings are consistent with the possibility of state-dependent intrusive memories. Additional research is needed to determine whether alcohol intoxication might serve as a discriminative cue preceding intrusive memories of alcohol-involved SA.

Light Alcohol Consumption Does Not Protect Cognitive Function: A Longitudinal Prospective Study

Studies show that light to moderate alcohol consumption is related to better health and higher cognitive performance. However, it has been suggested that this association is caused by a systematic bias in the control group as many people abstain from drinking or quit because of health issues. Therefore, the group of non-drinkers is biased towards poor health and may not be suitable as a control group. The present study examined the effect of alcohol on cognitive performance while addressing this bias by excluding the non-drinkers. Thus, instead of comparing different levels of alcohol consumption to a non-drinking control group, a dose-response association was calculated between all levels of alcohol intake and cognitive performance. The study used information from a sample of people in the Swedish Twin Registry, who in their midlife (1967) participated in a survey on alcohol intake and 25 years later participated in a longitudinal study on cognitive aging (N = 486). The cognitive aging study took place on five occasions, at 2-year intervals, and included the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), tests of episodic memory, semantic memory and spatial ability. The association between midlife alcohol consumption and later cognitive performance was analyzed using growth curve models, adjusting for background variables. The findings showed that there was a significant negative dose-response association between alcohol intake in midlife and the MMSE, and the tests of episodic memory, such that higher intake in midlife was related to lower performance in old age. The associations between alcohol and semantic memory, and spatial ability respectively, were not significant. In contrast to findings from other studies, which show that low to moderate alcohol intake promotes cognitive function, the current study showed that alcohol intake was related to lower cognitive performance in a dose-response manner, even at low levels. The results from this study indicate that the observed benefits of moderate alcohol intake for cognitive function reported by others might be solely due to comparisons to an inappropriate control group, a group that is biased towards poor health. Hence, it is concluded that light alcohol intake may not protect cognitive function.

Interviewing intoxicated witnesses: Memory performance in theory and practice

Memory encoding and recall involving complex, effortful cognitive processes are impaired by alcohol primarily due to impairment of a select few, but crucial, cortical areas. This review shows how alcohol affects some, but not all, aspects of eyewitnesses' oral free recall performance. The principal results, so far, are that: a) free recall reports by intoxicated witnesses (at the investigated BAC-levels) may contain less, but as accurate, information as reports by sober witnesses; b) immediate reports given by intoxicated witnesses may yield more information compared to reports by sober witnesses given after a one week delay; c) an immediate interview may enhance both intoxicated and sober witnesses' ability to report information in a later interview; and d) reminiscence seems to occur over repeated interviews and the new information seems to be as accurate as the previously reported information. Based on this, recommendations are given for future research to enhance understanding of the multifaceted impact of alcohol on witnesses' oral free recall of violent crimes.

Effects of acute alcohol intoxication on executive functions controlling self-regulated behavior

Alcohol consumption may lead to deficits in the executive functions that govern self-regulation. These deficits could lead to risk-taking behaviors; therefore, it is important to determine the magnitude of these deficits on executive functioning. The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the acute effects of alcohol on three of the executive functions that are hypothesized to affect self-regulation, which are inhibition, set shifting, and working memory, using a mixed-methods study design. The participants were 75 moderate or heavy drinkers between the ages of 21 and 35 who were randomized into one of three beverage conditions (control, placebo, or 0.65-g alcohol dose/kg body weight). Performance on working memory, set shifting, and inhibition were measured pre- and post-beverage consumption. The results showed only a significant interaction in the working memory data, as there was an increase in performance post-beverage relative to pre-beverage for the control participants as compared to the alcohol and placebo participants. It was concluded that the dose of alcohol (BAC = 0.063%) given to moderate to heavy drinkers was not sufficient to cause significant impairment in the executive functions tested. The results were further discussed and methodological concerns were considered, such as the low BAC achieved, practice effects, and insensitivity of tasks.

To wait or not to wait? Improving results when interviewing intoxicated witnesses to violence

Witnesses to violent crimes are often alcohol intoxicated, but few studies have investigated the impact of alcohol on witness reports. This study investigated how alcohol intoxication and time of interview affected reports of intimate partner violence (IPV). One hundred thirty six healthy men (N = 66) and women (N = 70) were randomized to an alcohol group (0.8g/kg for men, 0.75g/kg for women) (N = 70) or control group (N = 66), given juice. Participants consumed drinks in a laboratory setting before they witnessed an IPV scenario. Fifty percent of the intoxicated and sober participants were interviewed ten minutes after viewing the film and all participants were interviewed one week later. For the analyses, participants in the alcohol group were divided into two groups (moderately/highly intoxicated) based on their BAC-level. Ten minutes after viewing the event, highly (BAC = 0.08-0.15) intoxicated witnesses gave shorter, but as accurate, reports as moderately intoxicated/sober witnesses. All witnesses gave shorter and less accurate reports one week later compared to immediately after. However, an immediate interview increased completeness one week later. In general, time and high intoxication made witnesses give less detailed accounts of actions and verbal information, but not of objects. Highly intoxicated witnesses reported less actions and verbal information in all interviews, while information regarding objects was reported to a similar extent. At the present BAC-level, it is beneficial to conduct an immediate free recall interview with intoxicated witnesses to obtain a maximum amount of correct information and minimize the negative effect of time.

Witnesses stumbling down memory lane: The effects of alcohol intoxication, retention interval, and repeated interviewing

Intoxicated eyewitnesses are often discredited by investigators and in court, but few studies have examined how alcohol affects witnesses' memory. The primary aim of the present study was to examine how intoxication (alcohol vs. control), retention interval (immediate vs. one week delay), and number of interviews (one vs. two interviews) affect witnesses' memory. The participants (N = 99) were randomly assigned to consume either orange juice or alcohol mixed with orange juice, and they all witnessed a filmed mock crime afterwards. The recall took place either (a) immediately and after a one week delay or (b) after a one week delay only. No main effect of alcohol was found on the quantity or quality of the witnesses' statements. Both intoxicated and sober witnesses recalled more details, and were more accurate, during immediate compared to delayed recall. For witnesses interviewed twice, an average of 30% new details were provided in the second compared to the first interview, and these were highly accurate. In sum, contrary to what one can expect, intoxicated witnesses with a low to moderate blood alcohol concentration (below 0.10%) were reliable witnesses.

Alcohol use across the lifespan: An analysis of adolescent and aged rodents and humans

Adolescence and old age are unique periods of the lifespan characterized by differential sensitivity to the effects of alcohol. Adolescents and the elderly appear to be more vulnerable to many of alcohol's physiological and behavioral effects compared to adults. The current review explores the differential effects of acute alcohol, predominantly in terms of motor function and cognition, in adolescent and aged humans and rodents. Adolescents are less sensitive to the sedative-hypnotic, anxiolytic, and motor-impairing effects of acute alcohol, but research results are less consistent as it relates to alcohol's effects on cognition. Specifically, previous research has shown adolescents to be more, less, and similarly sensitive to alcohol-induced cognitive deficits compared to adults. These equivocal findings suggest that learning acquisition may be differentially affected by ethanol compared to memory, or that ethanol-induced cognitive deficits are task-dependent. Older rodents appear to be particularly vulnerable to the motor- and cognitive-impairing effects of acute alcohol relative to younger adults. Given that alcohol consumption and abuse is prevalent throughout the lifespan, it is important to recognize age-related differences in response to acute and long-term alcohol. Unfortunately, diagnostic measures and treatment options for alcohol dependence are rarely dedicated to adolescent and aging populations. As discussed, although much scientific advancement has been made regarding the differential effects of alcohol between adolescents and adults, research with the aged is underrepresented. Future researchers should be aware that adolescents and the aged are uniquely affected by alcohol and should continue to investigate alcohol's effects at different stages of maturation.

Bottled memories: on how alcohol affects eyewitness recall

This study investigated how different doses of alcohol affected eyewitness recall. Participants (N = 126) were randomly assigned to three groups with different blood alcohol concentration (BAC), either a control group (mean BAC 0.00%, N = 42), a lower alcohol dose group (mean BAC 0.04%, N = 40), or a higher alcohol dose group (mean BAC 0.06%, N = 44). After consumption, participants witnessed a movie of a mock crime and were interviewed one week later. The main results showed that witnesses with the higher intoxication level recalled fewer details compared to witnesses with the lower intoxication level. The amount of alcohol consumed did not have an impact on the accuracy rate. No sex differences were found. The results are discussed in the light of past research. We conclude that more studies are needed before recommendations can be made to an applied setting.

Dose-related effects of alcohol on cognitive functioning

We assessed the suitability of six applied tests of cognitive functioning to provide a single marker for dose-related alcohol intoxication. Numerous studies have demonstrated that alcohol has a deleterious effect on specific areas of cognitive processing but few have compared the effects of alcohol across a wide range of different cognitive processes. Adult participants (N = 56, 32 males, 24 females aged 18–45 years) were randomized to control or alcohol treatments within a mixed design experiment involving multiple-dosages at approximately one hour intervals (attained mean blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of 0.00, 0.048, 0.082 and 0.10%), employing a battery of six psychometric tests; the Useful Field of View test (UFOV; processing speed together with directed attention); the Self-Ordered Pointing Task (SOPT; working memory); Inspection Time (IT; speed of processing independent from motor responding); the Traveling Salesperson Problem (TSP; strategic optimization); the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART; vigilance, response inhibition and psychomotor function); and the Trail-Making Test (TMT; cognitive flexibility and psychomotor function). Results demonstrated that impairment is not uniform across different domains of cognitive processing and that both the size of the alcohol effect and the magnitude of effect change across different dose levels are quantitatively different for different cognitive processes. Only IT met the criteria for a marker for wide-spread application: reliable dose-related decline in a basic process as a function of rising BAC level and easy to use non-invasive task properties.

Now everyone looks the same: alcohol intoxication reduces the own-race bias in face recognition

Several factors influence the reliability of eyewitness identification evidence. Typically, recognition for same-race faces is better than for different-race faces (the own-race bias), and alcohol intoxication decreases overall face recognition accuracy. This research investigated how alcohol intoxication influences the own-race bias. Asian and European participants completed tests of recognition memory for Asian and European faces when either mildly intoxicated (mean breath alcohol concentration of .05) or when sober. Compared to their sober counterparts, intoxicated participants showed a reduced own-race bias. Specifically, alcohol intoxication had a larger negative effect on the recognition of same-race faces compared to different-race faces. The legal and theoretical implications of these results are discussed.

The behavior and social communication of honey bees (Apis mellifera carnica Poll.) under the influence of alcohol

In this study, the effects of ethanol on honey bee social communication and behavior within the hive were studied to further investigate the usefulness of honey bees as an ethanol-abuse model. Control (1.5 M sucrose) and experimental (1.5 M sucrose, 2.5% w/v ethanol) solutions were directly administered to individual forager bees via proboscis contact with glass capillary tubes. The duration, frequency, and proportion of time spent performing social and nonsocial behaviors were the dependent variables of interest. No differences in the relative frequency or proportion of time spent performing the target behaviors were observed. However, ethanol consumption significantly decreased bouts of walking, resting, and the duration of trophallactic (i.e., food-exchange) encounters. The results of this study suggest that a low dose of ethanol is sufficient to disrupt both social and nonsocial behaviors in honey bees. In view of these results, future behavioral-genetic investigations of honey bee social behavior are encouraged.