Effects of stress, alcohol prime dose, and sex on ad libitum drinking.

Abstract

Objective: The Self-Medication Hypothesis (SMH) theorizes that alcohol is used to alleviate negative states. We assessed whether an acute social stressor (Trier Social Stress Test, TSST), a priming dose of alcohol, and participant sex impacted 90-min ad libitum drinking. We expected exposure to stress to be associated with increased consumption, and this effect to be stronger following an alcohol priming dose; we also explored whether participant sex moderated these effects. Method: Using a 2×2 experimental design, we randomized groups of two to three drinkers to stress (TSST vs. no TSST) and priming beverage (alcohol vs. placebo) conditions. All participants subsequently completed the 90-min ad libitum drinking period and were instructed not to exceed more than one alcoholic beverage per hour for optimal performance to model behavioral impaired control. We examined (a) number of drinks ordered, (b) violations of the drink limit, (c) change in breath alcohol concentration (BAC), and (d) peak BAC. Results: Analyses showed that exposure to stress was associated with heavier ad libitum drinking. This effect was qualified by a three-way interaction; women who received a stressor and no prime dose (placebo) reached higher BACs, whereas men who received a stressor and a prime reached higher BACs. Conclusions: The hypothesized interaction between an alcohol priming dose and social stress was only evident among men, whereas women drank more under social stress in the absence of a priming dose. Findings suggest the importance of exploring sex differences in future studies of the SMH. Public Health Significance StatementThis study found that women exposed to social stress drank more when given access to alcohol, whereas men drank more only when exposed to both social stress and a priming dose of alcohol. This suggests the need for further attention to potential sex and gender differences in the role of self-medication in drinking behavior.

Do Coping Motives and Perceived Impaired Control Mediate the Indirect Links from Childhood Trauma Facets to Alcohol-Related Problems?

“…This association is important because it expands our current understanding of the proposed internalizing and externalizing pathways [ 3 , 90 , 91 , 92 ] to alcohol-use disorders. The risks associated with the development of internalizing symptoms in early childhood [ 90 , 91 , 92 ], when joined with the risks related to IC in college-aged students [ 16 , 17 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 63 ], creates a subset of college-aged students who are especially vulnerable to suffering alcohol-related consequences.…”

“…For instance, Leeman et al [ 58 ] found that IC explained the growth in alcohol consequences over three years later. Moreover, behavioral impaired control (i.e., drinking beyond heavy episodic levels despite incentives to limit consumption during ad libitum) causally followed an acute stressor (i.e., Trier Social Stress Test) in a self-administration study [ 59 ]. Clearly, impaired control is a critical risk factor for developing AUDs, particularly among adolescents and young adults [ 17 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 ], yet it is understudied as a construct compared to impulsivity.…”

Sex Differences in Neural Networks Recruited by Frontloaded Binge Alcohol Drinking

“…In addition to their roles in addiction, the CEA and BLA are validated to regulate responses to anxiety and fear (39, 46–48). Recent work suggests that women are more likely to drink to cope with stress and anxiety as compared to men (49), and women who experience social stress reach higher BECs in a subsequent open access drinking test as compared to men (50). Though the current protocol did not measure cortisol levels or conduct any anxiety assays, the recruitment of many amygdala brain regions as hubs in female alcohol binge drinkers, but not males, raises the hypothesis that female C57BL/6J binge drinking may in part be driven by anxiety.…”

Moving Towards Responsible Consumption: The Road Ahead for Sustainable Marketing

“…Although it sounds quite similar to addictive consumption, the parameters are quite different. Addictive consumption can be described as an inability to stop using a substance or engaging in a behaviour even though it is causing psychological and physical harm (5). The keyword here is 'inability to stop'.…”