Effects of low alcohol consumption on visual evoked potential, visual field and visual contrast sensitivity

Abstract

ABSTRACT.Purpose: We studied changes in the vision of 16 people after consumption of a small quantity of alcohol, at a blood alcohol level (BAL) of 0.57 g/kg. Methods: We studied visual contrast sensitivity (VCS) using Vistech VCTS 6500, visual evoked potential (VEP) by checked pattern stimulations and the peripheral visual field (PVF) with a perimetric automatic Humphrey. We first carried out the tests on sober people and then on individuals with a BAL of 0.57 g/kg. Results: Alcohol consumption caused no significant difference in performance for these 3 tests. However, at a BAL of 0.57 g/kg there was a decrease in cerebral function, as shown by an increase in the number of mistakes made in the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Conclusion: These results suggest that for a low blood alcohol level, visual performance is less affected by the visual changes than by alteration in brain functions.

Acute effect of alcohol intake on sine-wave Cartesian and polar contrast sensitivity functions

“…On the other hand, some studies found no change in contrast sensitivity with the use of static stimuli at 0.08% BAC (12,23). This difference from the results of the above studies may be due to differences in the methodological aspects (luminance, and stimuli alcohol concentrations) used in each study.…”

Alcohol is the Main Factor in Excess Traffic Accident Fatalities in France

“…This close association between positive blood alcohol test and seriousness of accidents is probably due to alcoholinduced impairment of the skills necessary to drive a vehicle safely (Deveaux, 1999;McLean et al, 1995). It is known that driving is made more difficult by alcohol-induced impairment of visual perception (Quintyn et al, 1999) and motor function (coordination, reaction delay, precision of movement, etc.) (Garriott, 1996;West et al, 1993).…”

Dose-Related Effects of Alcohol on Cognitive Functioning

“…Each of the tests have been widely employed as indices of a range of key cognitive processes that have previously been shown to be sensitive to the effects of alcohol intoxication, such as speed of information processing [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], divided attention [17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22], [23]; problem solving [24], [25], [26], [27], [28], [29], [30], working memory [31], [32], [33], [34], [35], [36], response inhibition and cognitive flexibility [37], [38], [39], [40], [41], [42], and psychomotor functioning [18], [43], [44], [45], [46].…”