Acute Alcohol Consumption Reduces Uncertainty Choices.

Background and Aims: Drinking alcohol results in clear effects on decision-making in humans. Alcohol intake impairs information processing and executive function. However, the potential effects of alcohol on human uncertainty decision-making remain unknown. Design: Here we examined the pattern of un...

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Published in:Journal of Addiction Medicine Vol. 19; no. 5; pp. 570 - 578
Main Authors: Liu, Hao, Zhang, Yi, Li, Duo, Wang, Chun, Yuan, Ti-Fei, Jia, Yanbing, Wang, Fei
Format: research tables/charts randomized controlled trial Journal Article
Published: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Sep/Oct2025
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Sep/Oct2025
      vid: 19
      iid: 5
      pid: 433
      pub: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
      place: Baltimore, Maryland
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        188430765
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        10.1097/ADM.0000000000001456
        188430765
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        atl: Acute Alcohol Consumption Reduces Uncertainty Choices.
      aug:
        au:
          Liu, Hao
          Zhang, Yi
          Li, Duo
          Wang, Chun
          Yuan, Ti-Fei
          Jia, Yanbing
          Wang, Fei
        affil: School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China (HL, YJ)
      sug:
        subj:
          Alcohol Drinking
          Uncertainty
          Decision Making
          Memory, Short Term
          Ethanol Pharmacodynamics
          Human
          Male
          Female
          Adult
          Random Assignment
          Comparative Studies
          Randomized Controlled Trials
          Crossover Design
          Analysis of Variance
          Breath Tests
          Asians
          Self-Rating Anxiety Scale
          Self-Rating Depression Scale
          Questionnaires
          Psychological Tests
          Scales
          Data Analysis Software
          Two-Way Analysis of Variance
          Linear Regression
          Funding Source
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Background and Aims: Drinking alcohol results in clear effects on decision-making in humans. Alcohol intake impairs information processing and executive function. However, the potential effects of alcohol on human uncertainty decision-making remain unknown. Design: Here we examined the pattern of uncertain decision-making and working memory upon 3 alcohol intake paradigms (a dose of 1.5 g/L of body water, 1.0 g/L body water, and placebo beverage), with a 1-month wash-out between the 3 measurements. Twenty participants (15 males, 5 females) were randomly assigned to different groups and received alcohol drinking programs in different orders. The breath alcohol concentration was assessed to quantify alcohol intake effects, and the cortical silent period using the transcranial magnetic stimulation technique was assessed as an index for cortical inhibition level. The choice under risk and ambiguity task and N-Back task were assessed. Results: The results showed that after intake of the alcoholic beverage with a concentration is 1.5 g/L, participants reduced tolerance for risk and ambiguity, resulting in an altered pattern of uncertain decision-making. What is more, under the same condition, acute alcohol consumption (1.5 g/L) efficiently reduced accuracy and d-prime of 2- and 3-back tasks, indicating the impairment of executive function. Such changes correlate to prolonged cortical silent period. However, no significant differences were observed in the acute alcohol consumption at a concentration of 1.0 g/L. Conclusions: The study shows that alcohol intake reduces uncertain choices, along with enhanced cortical GABABR functions, suggesting alcohol-induced changes in decision-making. These findings provide insights into alcohol's mechanisms and potential targets for intervention, like transcranial magnetic stimulation on the frontal cortex or GABABR antagonist.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        randomized controlled trial
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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