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Acute effects of alcohol on inhibitory control and information processing in high and low sensation-seekers.

Author
Abstract
:

Sensation-seeking is a personality characteristic that has been associated with drug abuse. Some evidence suggests that sensation-seekers might experience increased rewarding effects from drugs of abuse, possibly contributing to the association between sensation-seeking and risk for drug abuse. The present study examined the effects of three doses of alcohol (0.0 g/kg, 0.45 g/kg, and 0.65 g/kg) on inhibitory control, information processing, and subjective ratings in a group of high sensation-seekers and a group of low sensation-seekers (N=20). Inhibitory control was measured by a cued go/no-go task and speed of information processing was assessed by the Rapid Information Processing (RIP) task. Alcohol impaired inhibitory control and information processing. Group differences were also observed. Compared with their low sensation-seeking counterparts, high sensation-seekers demonstrated increased sensitivity to the subjective rewarding effects of alcohol and a poorer degree of inhibitory control that was further impaired by alcohol. The findings highlight reward- and cognitive-based mechanisms by which sensation-seeking could operate to increase risk for alcohol abuse.

Year of Publication
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2009
Journal
:
Drug and alcohol dependence
Volume
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100
Issue
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1-2
Number of Pages
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91-9
Date Published
:
2009
ISSN Number
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0376-8716
URL
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https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0376-8716(08)00340-2
DOI
:
10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2008.09.007
Short Title
:
Drug Alcohol Depend
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