Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026

The Motivation for Alcohol Reward: Predictors of Progressive-Ratio Intravenous Alcohol Self-Administration in Humans
Published on: April 28, 2022
The incidence and severity of hangover the morning after moderate alcohol intoxication
Jonathan Howland1, Damaris J Rohsenow, Donald Allensworth-Davies
1Youth Alcohol Prevention Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA. jhowl@bu.edu
Aims:
To determine the incidence and covariates of hangover following a night of moderate alcohol consumption at a targeted breath alcohol level.
Design:
Data were combined from three randomized cross-over trials investigating the effects of heavy drinking on next-day performance. A total of 172 participants received either alcoholic beverage (mean=0.115 g% breath alcohol concentration) or placebo on one night and the other beverage a week later. The next day, participants completed a hangover scale.
Participants:
Participants were 54 professional merchant mariners attending a recertification course at Kalmar Maritime Academy (Kalmar, Sweden) and 118 university students or recent graduates recruited from greater Boston.
Setting:
One trial was conducted at Kalmar Maritime Academy (Sweden); the other two were conducted at the General Clinical Research Center at Boston Medical Center.
Measurements:
A nine-item scale assessed hangover.
Findings:
Hangover was reported by 76% of participants. Neither alcoholic beverage type nor participant characteristics was associated with incidence of hangover.
Conclusions:
Our findings on the propensity of hangover suggest that 25-30% of drinkers may be resistant to hangover.
Related Concept Videos
Aldehydes and Ketones with Alcohols: Hemiacetal Formation
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
Acidity and Basicity of Alcohols and Phenols
Depressants
Alcohol is a common depressant that can induce a sense of relaxation and reduced inhibition at low doses. Contrary to its occasional...
Acid-Catalyzed Dehydration of Alcohols to Alkenes
Hypothesis Test for Test of Independence
H0: The two variables (factors)...

