Stress-response-dampening effects of alcohol: Attention as a mediator and moderator.

Sher, Kenneth J.; Bartholow, Bruce D.; Peuser, Karl A.; Erickson, Darin J.; Wood, Mark D.

doi:10.1037/0021-843x.116.2.362

Cited by 89 publications

(106 citation statements)

References 76 publications

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“…For instance, some researchers have suggested that alcohol leads individuals to focus on the most salient aspects of a situation by impairing their ability to divide attention, rather than by narrowing their attentional focus (Curtin, Lang, Patrick, & Stritzke, 1998;Curtin, Patrick, Lang, Cacioppo, & Bierbaumer, 2001). Other researchers have emphasized the role of impaired sustained attention in explaining alcohol-myopic effects (Sher, Bartholow, Peuser, Erickson, & Wood, 2007). Further research is needed to investigate the precise mechanisms for the effect of alcohol on commitment.…”

Section: Limitations and Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alcohol breeds empty goal commitments.

Sevincer

Oettingen

2009

Journal of Abnormal Psychology

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According to alcohol-myopia theory (C. M. Steele & R. A. Josephs, 1990), alcohol leads individuals to disproportionally focus on the most salient aspects of a situation and to ignore peripheral information. The authors hypothesized that alcohol leads individuals to strongly commit to their goals without considering information about the probability of goal attainment. In Study 1, participants named their most important interpersonal goal, indicated their expectations of successfully attaining it, and then consumed either alcohol or a placebo. In contrast to participants who consumed a placebo, intoxicated participants felt strongly committed to their goals despite low expectations of attaining them. In Study 2, goal-directed actions were measured over time. Once sober again, intoxicated participants with low expectations did not follow up on their strong commitments. Apparently, when prospects are bleak, alcohol produces empty goal commitments, as commitments are not based on individuals' expectations of attaining their goals and do not foster goal striving over time.

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Section: Limitations and Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alcohol breeds empty goal commitments.

Sevincer

Oettingen

2009

Journal of Abnormal Psychology

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“…Assessing the physiological effects of short-term psychological stressors is more problematic, and is generally attempted by measurement of physical characteristics including respiration rate and skin conductance [11,12] in addition to heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature [5,6,7,8]. All are subject to considerable biological variation, introducing uncertainty to comparison between individuals and populations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leukocyte reactivity as an objective means of quantifying mental loading during ergonomic evaluation

Shelton-Rayner

Macdonald

Chandler

et al. 2010

Cellular Immunology

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Psychological stress evokes rapid changes to the cardiovascular and neuroendocrine systems, responses that can become habituated following repeated exposure. This study, comprising of 2 phases, suggests that the immune system follows a similar trend. Phase 1: 15 healthy subjects (aged between 26 and 56 years) provided capillary blood samples before and after completing 3 basic tasks using, in turn, two automotive touch screen interfaces (Interface 1 -antecedent version, Interface 2 -improved version). Using a chemiluminescent technique termed Leukocyte Coping Capacity (LCC), the ability of leukocytes to produce reactive oxygen species in vitro was assessed. Significant differences in leukocyte activity were shown between treatment groups, where the greatest post-test decrease occurred after using Interface 1. Phase 2: a randomly selected sub-group (n=4) underwent weekly repeat testing using both interfaces. Significant differences in post-test leukocyte reactivity were exhibited between test weeks for each interface -the magnitude of response decreasing with successive exposure.

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“…The central amygdala (CeA), a structure mediating emotional behaviors such as anxiety and fear, is implicated as a critical brain region in stress-related drinking, given that the anxiolytic effects of ethanol motivate drinking as self-medication (Sher et al, 2007). In addition, recent studies suggested that the CeA, as part of the extended amygdala, plays a critical role in the positive motivational effect of ethanol (Koob et al, 1998;McBride, 2002).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

μ-Opioid Receptors Selectively Regulate Basal Inhibitory Transmission in the Central Amygdala: Lack of Ethanol Interactions

Kang-Park

Kieffer²,

Roberts³

et al. 2008

J Pharmacol Exp Ther

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Endogenous opioid systems are implicated in the actions of ethanol. For example, -opioid receptor (MOR) knockout (KO) mice self-administer less alcohol than the genetically intact counterpart wild-type (WT) mice (Roberts et al., 2000). MOR KO mice also exhibit less anxiety-like behavior than WT mice (Filliol et al., 2000). To investigate the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these behaviors, we examined the effect of ethanol in brain slices from MOR KO and WT mice using sharp-electrode and whole-cell patch recording techniques. We focused our study in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) because it is implicated in alcohol drinking behavior and stress behavior. We found that the amplitudes of evoked inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) or inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) were significantly greater in MOR KO mice than WT mice. In addition, the baseline frequencies of spontaneous and miniature GABA A receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents were significantly greater in CeA neurons from MOR KO than WT mice. However, ethanol enhancements of evoked IPSP and IPSC amplitudes and the frequency of miniature IPSCs were comparable between WT and MOR KO mice. Baseline spontaneous and miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) and ethanol effects on EPSCs were not significantly different between MOR KO and WT mice. Based on knowledge of CeA circuitry and projections, we hypothesize that the role of MORand GABA receptor-mediated mechanisms in CeA underlying reinforcing effects of ethanol operate independently, possibly through pathway-specific responses within CeA.The endogenous opioid peptide system is implicated in ethanol reinforcement and dependence. Behavioral studies show that block of endogenous opioid action using naltrexone, a nonselective opioid antagonist, diminishes ethanol consumption (Herz, 1997), and this antagonist is currently used in the treatment of alcohol dependence in humans (Froehlich, 1996). However, the cellular mechanism underlying the interaction between endogenous opioids and ethanol for the reinforcing effects of ethanol is not yet clearly understood. Pharmacological studies using subtype-specific antagonists show that the key element in opioid peptide systems for the positive reinforcing effects of ethanol is the MOR (Ciccocioppo et al., 2002;Mhatre and Holloway, 2003). Genetically engineered mice without MOR consistently show decreased ethanol consumption compared with WT mice (Roberts et al., 2000). In addition, MOR KO mice show less anxiety-like behavior than WT mice (Filliol et al., 2000), suggesting an interaction between anxiety and ethanol

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Stress-response-dampening effects of alcohol: Attention as a mediator and moderator.

Cited by 89 publications

References 76 publications

Alcohol breeds empty goal commitments.

Alcohol breeds empty goal commitments.

Leukocyte reactivity as an objective means of quantifying mental loading during ergonomic evaluation

μ-Opioid Receptors Selectively Regulate Basal Inhibitory Transmission in the Central Amygdala: Lack of Ethanol Interactions

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