Eye tracking correlates of acute alcohol consumption: A systematic and critical review

Eye tracking has emerged as a reliable neuroscience tool indexing the eye movements' correlates of impairments resulting from alcohol-use disorders, ranging from perceptive abilities to high-level cognitive functions. This systematic review, following PRISMA guidelines, encompasses all human studies using eye tracking in participants presenting acute alcohol consumption. A literature search was conducted in PsycINFO, PubMed and Scopus, and a standardized methodological quality assessment was performed. Eye tracking studies were classified according to the processes measured (perception, attentional bias, memory, executive functions, prevention message processing). Eye tracking data centrally showed a global visuo-motor impairment (related to reduced cerebellar functioning) following alcohol intoxication, together with reduced memory and inhibitory control of eye movements. Conversely, the impact of such intoxication on alcohol-related attentional bias is still debated. The limits of this literature have been identified, leading to the emergence of new research avenues to increase the understanding of eye movements during alcohol intoxication, and to the proposal of guidelines for future research.