This study will determine the neural and hormonal mechanisms underlying sex differences in sensitivity to the disinhibiting effects of alcohol in heavy drinkers.
Alcohol abuse inflicts enormous physical, emotional, and financial burdens on the individual and society at large. Knowing who is at risk for alcohol abuse, and why, is crucial for the development of effective prevention and treatment strategies. Alcohol abuse has been traditionally considered a male-oriented problem and as a consequence research on risk factors specific to women has been minimal. However, the sex gap in substance abuse is closing rapidly, and findings from both animal and human studies suggest that females are actually more vulnerable to drug use than males. As such, there is an urgent need to identify sex differences in risk factors for alcohol abuse in order to develop sex-specific prevention and treatment efforts. One clear candidate risk factor is poor inhibitory control, both in terms of baseline levels of inhibition and sensitivity to the disinhibiting effects of alcohol. Recent studies suggest that sex hormones affect inhibitory control in drug-free individuals, potentially contributing to sex differences in baseline levels of inhibition. However, the degree to which fluctuations in sex hormones influence sex differences in inhibition-related brain function in sober and intoxicated individuals is not known. The proposed project will determine the neural and hormonal mechanisms underlying sex differences in sensitivity to the disinhibiting effects of alcohol in heavy drinkers. The overall objective of the research is to identify hormonal determinants of alcohol effects on brain activation during response inhibition (BARI) in young adult female and male drinkers. BARI will be assessed using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during performance of the stop signal task. This task reliably activates right-lateralized prefrontal regions implicated in inhibitory control. This study will assess BARI during IV alcohol (60mg%) and saline infusion in women during the early follicular and mid-luteal phases and in men at matched intervals.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
28
University Of Kentucky Psychology Research Lab
Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Brain Activation During Response Inhibition (BARI) - Alcohol Infusion
Brain activation during response inhibition (BARI) was assessed using blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) fMRI during performance of the stop signal task during alcohol (60mg%) infusion. Values were determined by the contrast of BOLD activation during successful inhibition trials relative to go trials.
Time frame: During two alcohol sessions which could occur on two of four possible days: 1 or 2 and 15 or 16; data from the two alcohol sessions are averaged together
Brain Activation During Response Inhibition (BARI) - Saline Infusion
Brain activation during response inhibition (BARI) was assessed using blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) fMRI during performance of the stop signal task during saline infusion. Values were determined by the contrast of BOLD activation during successful inhibition trials relative to go trials.
Time frame: During two saline (placebo) sessions which could occur on two of four possible days: 1 or 2 and 15 or 16; data from the two saline sessions are averaged together
Estradiol Levels - Alcohol Infusion
Estradiol levels (pg/mL) were measured from blood samples following alcohol infusion.
Time frame: During two alcohol sessions which could occur on two of four possible days: 1 or 2 and 15 or 16; data from the two alcohol sessions are averaged together
Estradiol Levels - Saline Infusion
Estradiol levels (pg/mL) were measured from blood samples following saline infusion.
Time frame: During two saline (placebo) sessions which could occur on two of four possible days: 1 or 2 and 15 or 16; data from the two saline sessions are averaged together
Progesterone Levels - Alcohol Infusion
Progesterone levels (ng/mL) were measured from blood samples prior to alcohol infusion.
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Time frame: During two alcohol sessions which could occur on two of four possible days: 1 or 2 and 15 or 16; data from the two alcohol sessions are averaged together
Progesterone Levels - Saline Infusion
Progesterone levels (ng/mL) were measured from blood samples following saline infusion.
Time frame: During two saline (placebo) sessions which could occur on two of four possible days: 1 or 2 and 15 or 16; data from the two saline sessions are averaged together
Testosterone Levels - Alcohol Infusion
Testosterone levels (ng/dL) were measured from blood samples following alcohol infusion.
Time frame: During two alcohol sessions which could occur on two of four possible days: 1 or 2 and 15 or 16; data from the two alcohol sessions are averaged together
Testosterone Levels - Saline Infusion
Testosterone levels (ng/dL) were measured from blood samples following saline infusion.
Time frame: During two saline (placebo) sessions which could occur on two of four possible days: 1 or 2 and 15 or 16; data from the two saline sessions are averaged together
Biphasic Alcohol Effects Score - Stimulation - Alcohol Infusion
The Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale (BAES) is a 14-point self-reporting, unipolar adjective rating scale designed to measure both stimulant and sedative effects of alcohol. Scores range from 0-10 for each of the 7 Stimulation sub-scale questions, for a total Stimulation score range of 0-70. Higher scores indicate increased stimulation. This outcome measure was collected during alcohol (60mg%) infusion.
Time frame: During two alcohol sessions which could occur on two of four possible days: 1 or 2 and 15 or 16; data from the two alcohol sessions are averaged together
Biphasic Alcohol Effects Score - Sedation - Alcohol Infusion
The Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale (BAES) is a 14-point self-reporting, unipolar adjective rating scale designed to measure both stimulant and sedative effects of alcohol. Scores range from 0-10 for each of the 7 Sedation sub-scale questions, for a total Sedation score range of 0-70. Higher scores indicate increased sedation. This outcome measure was collected during alcohol (60mg%) infusion.
Time frame: During two alcohol sessions which could occur on two of four possible days: 1 or 2 and 15 or 16; data from the two alcohol sessions are averaged together
Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale (BAES) - Stimulation - Saline Infusion
The Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale (BAES) is a 14-point self-reporting, unipolar adjective rating scale designed to measure both stimulant and sedative effects of alcohol. Scores range from 0-10 for each of the 7 Stimulation sub-scale questions, for a total Stimulation score range of 0-70. Higher scores indicate increased stimulation. This outcome measure was collected during saline infusion.
Time frame: During two saline (placebo) sessions which could occur on two of four possible days: 1 or 2 and 15 or 16; data from the two saline sessions are averaged together
Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale (BAES) - Sedation - Saline
The Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale (BAES) is a 14-point self-reporting, unipolar adjective rating scale designed to measure both stimulant and sedative effects of alcohol. Scores range from 0-10 for each of the 7 Sedation sub-scale questions, for a total Sedation score range of 0-70. Higher scores indicate increased stimulation. This outcome measure was collected during saline infusion.
Time frame: During two saline (placebo) sessions which could occur on two of four possible days: 1 or 2 and 15 or 16; data from the two saline sessions are averaged together
Drug Effects Questionnaire Score - Feel - Alcohol Infusion
The Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ) consists of four questions to assess acute subjective response to alcohol intake. This measure captures the amount someone feels the effects of alcohol, on a scale from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate greater levels of 'feel alcohol'. Scores were obtained during alcohol (60mg%) infusion.
Time frame: During two alcohol sessions which could occur on two of four possible days: 1 or 2 and 15 or 16; data from the two alcohol sessions are averaged together
Drug Effects Questionnaire Score - Like - Alcohol Infusion
The Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ) consists of four questions to assess acute subjective response to alcohol intake. This measure captures the amount someone likes the effects of alcohol, on a scale from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate greater levels of 'like alcohol'. Scores were obtained during alcohol (60mg%) infusion.
Time frame: During two alcohol sessions which could occur on two of four possible days: 1 or 2 and 15 or 16; data from the two alcohol sessions are averaged together
Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ) - Feel - Saline Infusion
The Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ) consists of four questions to assess acute subjective response to alcohol intake. This measure captures the amount someone feels the effects of alcohol, on a scale from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate greater levels of 'feel alcohol'. Scores were obtained during saline infusion.
Time frame: During two saline (placebo) sessions which could occur on two of four possible days: 1 or 2 and 15 or 16; data from the two saline sessions are averaged together
Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ) - Like - Saline Infusion
The Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ) consists of four questions to assess acute subjective response to alcohol intake. This measure captures the amount someone likes the effects of alcohol, on a scale from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate greater levels of 'like alcohol'. Scores were obtained during saline infusion.
Time frame: During two saline (placebo) sessions which could occur on two of four possible days: 1 or 2 and 15 or 16; data from the two saline sessions are averaged together