Pace of alcohol drinking during in natural-environment drinking is associated with heightened alcohol-related reward and negative consequences in risky drinkers.

IF 3.5 3区医学 Q2 NEUROSCIENCES Psychopharmacology Pub Date : 2025-02-17 DOI:10.1007/s00213-025-06758-2

Emily A Atkinson, Andrew M Fischer, John F Cursio, Andrea C King, Daniel J Fridberg

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Sensitivity to alcohol's stimulating and rewarding properties is associated with increased risk for future heavy drinking and the development and maintenance of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Further, pace of alcohol consumption varies across individuals and affects level of intoxication and subjective alcohol responses. The present study used smartphone-based high-resolution ecological momentary assessment (HR-EMA) of a heavy drinking episode in young adult risky drinkers' natural environments to examine associations between pace of drinking and subjective responses to alcohol.

Method: Young adult risky drinkers (N = 248; 42% female) completed a 3-hour HR-EMA of alcohol use and subjective responses to alcohol (stimulation, sedation, feeling, liking, and wanting more) during a drinking episode in their natural environment. Analyses examined associations between drinking pace trajectories and subjective responses to alcohol, accounting for drinking context (location/presence of others) and depression.

Results: Trajectory analysis revealed three drinking pace subgroups based on total drinks consumed during the 3-hour monitoring period: fast risers (~ 4 standard drinks/hour), moderate risers (~ 2.6 standard drinks/hour), and slow risers (~ 1.4 standard drinks/hour). Overall, faster pace of drinking was associated with greater alcohol stimulation and reward (liking and wanting more) and more alcohol-related negative consequences during and after the episode.

Conclusions: Results further underscore the heterogeneous nature of young adult risky drinkers and suggest the possibility that these individuals may drink rapidly to experience the stimulating and rewarding effects of alcohol sooner. Resulting increases in the positive effects of alcohol may reinforce future rapid drinking behavior.

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来源期刊

Psychopharmacology 医学-精神病学

CiteScore

7.10

自引率

5.90%

发文量

257

审稿时长

2-4 weeks

期刊介绍： Official Journal of the European Behavioural Pharmacology Society (EBPS) Psychopharmacology is an international journal that covers the broad topic of elucidating mechanisms by which drugs affect behavior. The scope of the journal encompasses the following fields: Human Psychopharmacology: Experimental This section includes manuscripts describing the effects of drugs on mood, behavior, cognition and physiology in humans. The journal encourages submissions that involve brain imaging, genetics, neuroendocrinology, and developmental topics. Usually manuscripts in this section describe studies conducted under controlled conditions, but occasionally descriptive or observational studies are also considered. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Translational This section comprises studies addressing the broad intersection of drugs and psychiatric illness. This includes not only clinical trials and studies of drug usage and metabolism, drug surveillance, and pharmacoepidemiology, but also work utilizing the entire range of clinically relevant methodologies, including neuroimaging, pharmacogenetics, cognitive science, biomarkers, and others. Work directed toward the translation of preclinical to clinical knowledge is especially encouraged. The key feature of submissions to this section is that they involve a focus on clinical aspects. Preclinical psychopharmacology: Behavioral and Neural This section considers reports on the effects of compounds with defined chemical structures on any aspect of behavior, in particular when correlated with neurochemical effects, in species other than humans. Manuscripts containing neuroscientific techniques in combination with behavior are welcome. We encourage reports of studies that provide insight into the mechanisms of drug action, at the behavioral and molecular levels. Preclinical Psychopharmacology: Translational This section considers manuscripts that enhance the confidence in a central mechanism that could be of therapeutic value for psychiatric or neurological patients, using disease-relevant preclinical models and tests, or that report on preclinical manipulations and challenges that have the potential to be translated to the clinic. Studies aiming at the refinement of preclinical models based upon clinical findings (back-translation) will also be considered. The journal particularly encourages submissions that integrate measures of target tissue exposure, activity on the molecular target and/or modulation of the targeted biochemical pathways. Preclinical Psychopharmacology: Molecular, Genetic and Epigenetic This section focuses on the molecular and cellular actions of neuropharmacological agents / drugs, and the identification / validation of drug targets affecting the CNS in health and disease. We particularly encourage studies that provide insight into the mechanisms of drug action at the molecular level. Manuscripts containing evidence for genetic or epigenetic effects on neurochemistry or behavior are welcome.