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Updated: May 24, 2026
09:26
Disruption of Frontal Lobe Neural Synchrony During Cognitive Control by Alcohol Intoxication
Published on: February 6, 2019
Acute alcohol impairs human goal-directed action.
Lee Hogarth1, Angela S Attwood, Helen A Bate
1School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. l.hogarth@unsw.edu.au
Biological Psychology
|March 13, 2012
Summary
Alcohol impairs goal-directed behavior, favoring habits. This study shows alcohol reduced sensitivity to outcome devaluation, suggesting it disrupts the ability to adjust actions based on current needs.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Psychology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Motivated behavior comprises goal-directed actions and stimulus-elicited habits.
- Alcohol consumption may disrupt goal-directed control, promoting habitual responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of acute alcohol administration on goal-directed action selection.
- To determine if alcohol favors habitual behavior over goal-directed control.
Main Methods:
- Participants acquired instrumental responses for distinct outcomes (chocolate, water) under alcohol or placebo.
- Outcome devaluation was induced by feeding one reward to satiety.
- Choice behavior was assessed in extinction to measure goal-directed control.
Main Results:
- Alcohol significantly attenuated the devaluation effect on choice behavior.
- Alcohol did not affect response reacquisition, reward appraisal, or initial learning.
- Impaired goal-directed control was observed, with a tendency towards habit formation.
Conclusions:
- Acute alcohol intake impairs goal-directed control of action selection.
- Alcohol's disruption of goal-directed behavior may contribute to under-controlled actions.
- Findings highlight alcohol's impact on the balance between goal-directed and habitual systems.
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