Citation

Howland J, Rohsenow DJ, Greece JA, Littlefield CA, Almeida A, Heeren T, Winter M, Bliss CA, Hunt S, Hermos J. Addiction 2010; 105(4): 655-665.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02880.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Aim To assess the effects of binge drinking on students' next‐day academic test‐taking performance.

Design A placebo‐controlled cross‐over design with randomly assigned order of conditions. Participants were randomized to either alcoholic beverage [mean = 0.12 g% breath alcohol concentration (BrAC)] or placebo on the first night and then received the other beverage a week later. The next day, participants were assessed on test‐taking, neurocognitive performance and mood state.

Participants A total of 196 college students (≥21 years) recruited from greater Boston.

Setting The trial was conducted at the General Clinical Research Center at the Boston Medical Center.

Measurements The Graduate Record Examinations© (GREs) and a quiz on a lecture presented the previous day measured test‐taking performance; the Neurobehavioral Evaluation System (NES3) and the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) measured neurocognitive performance; and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) measured mood.

Findings Test‐taking performance was not affected on the morning after alcohol administration, but mood state and attention/reaction‐time were affected.

Conclusion Drinking to a level of 0.12 g% BrAC does not affect next‐day test‐taking performance, but does affect some neurocognitive measures and mood state.