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Updated: Jun 7, 2026
09:26
Disruption of Frontal Lobe Neural Synchrony During Cognitive Control by Alcohol Intoxication
Published on: February 6, 2019
Habitual moderate alcohol consumption desynchronizes circadian physiologic rhythms and affects reaction-time
Alain Reinberg1, Yvan Touitou, Hadas Lewy
1Unité de Chronobiologie, Fondation Adolphe de Rothschild, Paris, France. bergarein@yahoo.fr
Chronobiology International
|October 26, 2010
Summary
Moderate nightly wine consumption impairs cognitive performance and disrupts circadian rhythms in healthy adults. This suggests potential increased accident risk due to reduced reaction times and increased errors.
Area of Science:
- Chronobiology
- Human Physiology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Circadian rhythms govern numerous physiological and behavioral processes.
- Alcohol consumption can influence sleep and biological rhythms.
- The impact of habitual moderate evening alcohol intake on circadian parameters is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of habitual moderate evening wine intake on circadian rhythm parameters in healthy young adults.
- To assess changes in performance metrics, including reaction time and errors, under alcohol consumption.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of four healthy young adults over 22 days (11 control, 11 with wine).
- Monitored sleep-wake cycles, oral temperature, grip strength, and reaction times (SRT, CRT).
- Time-series analysis to quantify circadian period (τ) and mean (M); statistical tests performed.
Main Results:
- Alcohol consumption led to a shorter oral temperature circadian τ in all subjects.
- Single reaction time (SRT) circadian M increased (poorer performance) in three subjects with wine.
- Increased cumulated errors (c-errors), particularly for SRT, were observed with alcohol intake.
Conclusions:
- Habitual moderate evening wine consumption can reduce cognitive performance and increase errors.
- Alcohol intake may desynchronize circadian time organization and potentially increase accident risk.
- Even moderate alcohol consumption can negatively impact physiological rhythms and performance.
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