P-30ACUTE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL INTAKE ON IMPULSIVITY AND HEART RATE IN YOUTH WITH OR WITHOUT A FAMILY HISTORY OF ALCOHOL ABUSE

Abstract

This study analyzed, in youth (18-30 years old) with or without a family history of alcohol abuse (FH+ and FH-, respectively), the effect of an acute dose of alcohol on impulsivity, risk taking, heart rate, and on the subjective response to alcohol. The Balloon Analogue Risk Task and the Time Production were used to measure risk taking and impulsivity, whereas the Brief Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale (bBAES) and an ergometer were employed to assess the autonomic (i.e, hearth rate) and subjective effects of alcohol intoxication. A 2 (FH +, FH-) x 2 (treatment [alcohol or placebo]) factorial design was employed. Participants (n = 51) were tested before and after drinking a placebo solution or a dose of alcohol corresponding to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08g/l. FH+ and FH-exhibit similar performance on the Time Production Task performance and similar bBAES scores, yet only FH+ subjects exhibited a significant increment of heart rate following the administration of alcohol. Moreover, participants treated with alcohol, but not those in the placebo condition, showed greater risk and impulsivity scores in the BART. The interaction between ethanol treatment and family history bordered statistical significance (i.e., p =.07), suggesting that alcohol increased risk taking and impulsivity only in FH+ subjects. To the extent that the stimulant effects of alcohol are a proxy for the reinforcing effect of ethanol, the results suggests that FHP are at higher risk for developing alcohol use disorders than FHN counterparts. These results add fur-ther evidence of the greater vulnerability of young FHP to develop problems with alcohol.