The impact of familial alcoholism on alcohol reactivity in female social drinkers

Exp Clin Psychopharmacol. 2001 Feb;9(1):101-9. doi: 10.1037/1064-1297.9.1.101.

Abstract

Some individuals may have an inherent reactivity to alcohol that facilitates early development of characteristics associated with alcoholism. Although response to alcohol cues has been used to assess this reactivity, few studies have included women or investigated familial alcoholism as a variable. In this study, 23 female college students were divided into groups according to family history of alcoholism (positive or negative). Alcohol reactivity was measured by salivation, skin temperature, heart rate, mood state, and craving for alcohol following presentation of alcohol-related and neutral cues. Results indicate no correlation between salivary reactivity and alcohol craving, which suggests that these variables tap into different domains of cue reactivity. Findings demonstrate that alcohol cue reactivity can be assessed in female social drinkers and that familial alcoholism may influence salivary reactivity to alcohol-related cues.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Affect / drug effects
  • Alcohol Drinking / genetics*
  • Alcohol Drinking / psychology*
  • Alcoholism / genetics*
  • Alcoholism / psychology*
  • Central Nervous System Depressants / pharmacology*
  • Cues
  • Ethanol / pharmacology*
  • Female
  • Heart Rate / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Salivation / drug effects
  • Skin Temperature / drug effects

Substances

  • Central Nervous System Depressants
  • Ethanol