Behavioral Tolerance to Alcohol in Moderate Drinkers
DONALD W. GOODWIN M.D.1,
BARBARA POWELL PH.D.2, , and
JOHN STERN PH.D.3
1 Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4940 Audubon Avenue, St. Louis, Mo. 63110
2 Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4940 Audubon Avenue, St. Louis, Mo. 63110
3 Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4940 Audubon Avenue, St. Louis, Mo. 63110
Alcohol was administered to young male volunteers with a history of light or moderate drinking. Subjects with the greatest drinking experience performed significantly better on a motor task and took fewer "risks" than did subjects with less drinking experience. Drinking history did not correlate with cognitive performance, indicating that tolerance to alcohol occurs in moderate drinkers but does not equally affect all types of functioning. Tolerance was not associated with an increased rate of alcohol metabolism.
