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Subjective response to alcohol challenge: a quantitative review
1Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA. pdquinn@mail.utexas.edu
Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research
|July 23, 2011
Summary
Individuals with a family history of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) show a lower subjective response to alcohol, supporting the Low Level of Response Model. Heavier drinkers exhibit altered responses, aligning with the Differentiator Model, suggesting distinct risk pathways for AUDs.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Genetics
Background:
- Individual differences in alcohol's subjective effects are a potential risk factor for alcohol use disorders (AUDs).
- Two competing models exist for subjective alcohol response, lacking theoretical consensus.
- Laboratory alcohol challenges measure these subjective responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To meta-analytically review evidence on subjective alcohol response as a risk factor for AUDs.
- To quantitatively estimate the impact of risk-group status on subjective response.
Main Methods:
- Meta-analysis of 32 independent alcohol-challenge studies (N=1,314).
- Aggregated data to assess effects of family history of AUDs and heavier alcohol consumption.
- Compared subjective responses between family history-positive/negative groups and heavier/lighter drinkers.
Main Results:
- Family history-positive individuals showed reduced overall subjective response, supporting the Low Level of Response Model (LLRM), particularly in men.
- Heavier drinkers exhibited reduced sedation but increased stimulation, consistent with the Differentiator Model (DM).
- Stimulation effects were most pronounced during the ascending limb of the blood alcohol concentration curve.
Conclusions:
- Decades of family history data strongly support the LLRM.
- Typical consumption comparisons align with the DM.
- LLRM and DM may represent distinct phenotypic risks for AUDs with different origins.
