The Associations Between Proactive Slowing, Working Memory, Alcohol Sensitivity, and Alcohol Use

"Reactive" inhibitory control is associated with heavy drinking and alcohol dependence. However, the majority of research ignores the downstream influence of proactive control--the preparation to withhold responses when examining alcohol use behaviors. The potential mechanisms behind these relationships are also poorly understood. Two studies were conducted to investigate the role of proactive and reactive control in heavy drinkers, in the presence of alcohol-related cues, and to examine the potential mediating effects of working memory capacity and alcohol sensitivity.

Heavy drinkers (Study 1: n = 108; Study 2: n = 116) completed online self-reported measures of alcohol use followed by a modified stop-signal task in the presence of alcohol-related cues (Study 1: images; Study 2: words) and a self-ordered pointing task using neutral-related images (Study 1) and alcohol-related images (Study 2).

In Study 1, craving and working memory capacity predicted alcohol use. In Study 2, working memory capacity was a negative predictor of alcohol use alongside stop-signal reaction times; however, the overall regression model was not significant. When conducting pooled analyses across both studies to increase power, only a robust association between craving and alcohol use was observed.

These studies provide no support for the associations between alcohol use indices and working memory capacity, reactive control, and proactive slowing.