Drunk decisions: Alcohol shifts choice from habitual towards goal-directed control in adolescent intermediate-risk drinkers

Journal of Psychopharmacology
Elisabeth ObstUlrich S Zimmermann

Abstract

Studies in humans and animals suggest a shift from goal-directed to habitual decision-making in addiction. We therefore tested whether acute alcohol administration reduces goal-directed and promotes habitual decision-making, and whether these effects are moderated by self-reported drinking problems. Fifty-three socially drinking males completed the two-step task in a randomised crossover design while receiving an intravenous infusion of ethanol (blood alcohol level=80 mg%), or placebo. To minimise potential bias by long-standing heavy drinking and subsequent neuropsychological impairment, we tested 18- to 19-year-old adolescents. Alcohol administration consistently reduced habitual, model-free decisions, while its effects on goal-directed, model-based behaviour varied as a function of drinking problems measured with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. While adolescents with low risk for drinking problems (scoring <8) exhibited an alcohol-induced numerical reduction in goal-directed choices, intermediate-risk drinkers showed a shift away from habitual towards goal-directed decision-making, such that alcohol possibly even improved their performance. We assume that alcohol disrupted basic cognitive functions underlying ...Continue Reading

References

May 11, 1999·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·V A RamchandaniS O'Connor
Nov 9, 2002·Science·K Richard RidderinkhofGuido P H Band
Mar 22, 2003·Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology·Timothy A Salthouse, Trey Hedden
Apr 8, 2003·Acta Psychologica·Dimitri van der LindenTheo F Meijman
Jul 21, 2005·Psychopharmacology·S GeorgeT Duka
Sep 15, 2005·Neuropsychopharmacology : Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology·Johannes G Ramaekers, Kim P C Kuypers
Jan 31, 2006·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·Maria TestaLenwood W Hayman
Jan 9, 2008·Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology·J Scott SaultsMatthew V Moreno
Feb 23, 2008·The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse·Marc A SchuckitRyan Trim
Jun 12, 2008·Nature Reviews. Neuroscience·Antonio RangelP Read Montague
Jul 30, 2008·The Behavioral and Brain Sciences·A David RedishAdam Johnson
Oct 1, 2008·Behaviour Research and Therapy·Brian D OstafinAnthony G Greenwald
Sep 4, 2009·Psychopharmacology·Andrew J LawrenceLuke Clark
Mar 3, 2010·Annual Review of Clinical Psychology·Alan W Stacy, Reinout W Wiers
Jul 1, 2010·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·Frederic Woodward HopfAntonello Bonci
Jul 27, 2010·Addictive Behaviors·Michael Lyvers, Juliette Tobias-Webb
Oct 14, 2010·Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology·Casey R GuillotMitchell E Berman
Mar 26, 2011·Neuron·Nathaniel D DawRaymond J Dolan
Jun 4, 2011·PLoS Computational Biology·Mehdi KeramatiPayam Piray
Jul 23, 2011·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·Patrick D Quinn, Kim Fromme
Nov 15, 2011·The Behavioral and Brain Sciences·Christian P Müller, Gunter Schumann
Mar 13, 2012·Biological Psychology·Lee HogarthMarcus R Munafò
Mar 14, 2012·PLoS Computational Biology·Quentin J M HuysJonathan P Roiser
Apr 11, 2012·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·Martin H PlaweckiSean O'Connor
Jun 14, 2012·Addiction·Denis M McCarthyBruce D Bartholow
Aug 14, 2012·Neuron·Klaus WunderlichRaymond J Dolan
Jun 22, 2013·International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research·Frank JacobiHans-Ulrich Wittchen
Sep 26, 2013·Neuropsychopharmacology : Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology·Corinde E WiersFelix Bermpohl
Oct 22, 2013·Neuron·Ray J Dolan, Peter Dayan
Dec 11, 2013·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·A Ross OttoNathaniel D Daw
Jan 10, 2014·Journal of Memory and Language·Dale J BarrHarry J Tily
May 14, 2014·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·Lucy D VanesAnna E Goudriaan
May 21, 2014·Molecular Psychiatry·V VoonE T Bullmore
Jun 28, 2014·Progress in Brain Research·Quentin J M HuysShelly B Flagel
Nov 2, 2014·Neuropsychobiology·Miriam SeboldQuentin J M Huys
Feb 13, 2016·Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology·Patrick D Quinn, Kim Fromme

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jan 25, 2019·Journal of Psychopharmacology·Nadine BernhardtUlrich S Zimmermann
May 18, 2020·Journal of Clinical Medicine·Julia BerghäuserAnn-Kathrin Stock

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
sedation

Clinical Trials Mentioned

NCT01858818

Software Mentioned

MATLAB
lme4
stats
ezANOVA
Power
glmer
Power ANalysis for GEneralised Anova
Psychophysics Toolbox
ggplot
summarySEwithin

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Addiction

This feed focuses mechanisms underlying addiction and addictive behaviour including heroin and opium dependence, alcohol intoxication, gambling, and tobacco addiction.

Auditory Perception

Auditory perception is the ability to receive and interpret information attained by the ears. Here is the latest research on factors and underlying mechanisms that influence auditory perception.