Gettin’ drunk and fallin’ down; who cares?

In a fascinating new study, University of Missouri researchers have shown that contrary to previous research, alcohol doesn’t reduce your awareness of mistakes – it reduces how much you care about making those mistakes.

For the study, researcher Bruce Bartholow and his team measured the brain activity of participants aged 21 to 35 as they completed a challenging computer task designed to elicit errors. About one-third of the participants were given alcoholic drinks, while the rest were given no alcohol or a placebo beverage. In addition to monitoring their brain activity, the researchers also measured changes in mood, accuracy and perceived accuracy.

The findings showed that the brain’s “alarm signal” in response to errors was much less pronounced in those who had consumed alcohol, and the response was largest for those in the placebo group. However, those drinking alcohol were no less likely to realize when they had made a mistake than participants in the other groups, indicating that alcohol’s reduction of the brain’s alarm signal did not occur simply because those in the alcohol group were unaware of their errors. The findings also showed that those who had consumed alcohol were less likely to slow down and be more careful in the task following errors.

“In tasks like the one we used, although we encourage people to try to respond as quickly as possible, it is very common for people to respond more slowly following an error, as a way of trying to regain self-control. That’s what we saw in our placebo group. The alcohol group participants didn’t do this,” Bartholow explained.

Generally speaking, having a strong brain response to mistakes promotes better self-control and helps people avoid making further mistakes in the future. But there are certain circumstances under which reducing the brain’s alarm signal could be seen as a good thing. “Some people, like those with anxiety disorders, are hyper-sensitive to things going wrong. In some people, a small amount of alcohol can take the edge off those anxious feelings, but consistently drinking as a way to reduce anxiety can lead to serious problems,” said Bartholow.

The findings, Bartholow believes, are an important step forward in understanding how alcohol’s effects on the brain contribute to the kinds of mistakes and social blunders people make when they’re drunk.

Related:
Beer-goggles put to the test
Girth And Length Muddle Bartenders’ Brains
“Hazardous” drinking levels good for the heart
Drink-Up For Superior Sperm
Can’t remember the night before?

Source: University of Missouri-Columbia

, ,

Comments are closed.

Vintage PABST

Vintage PABST "The Best Tonic" Non Alcoholic Unopened 7 oz Capped Bottle

$399.00



Rare ATF Challenge Coin BUREAU OF ALCOHOL TOBACCO & FIREARMS Miami Ft Lauderdale picture

Rare ATF Challenge Coin BUREAU OF ALCOHOL TOBACCO & FIREARMS Miami Ft Lauderdale

$49.00



35+ Dead Bugs Entomology Class Insect Bug Collection IDENTIFIED USA In Alcohol picture

35+ Dead Bugs Entomology Class Insect Bug Collection IDENTIFIED USA In Alcohol

$35.00



Bottle Caps Pourers 12 Pc Stoppers Bar Wine Alcohol Liquor Whiskey Rubber Spout picture

Bottle Caps Pourers 12 Pc Stoppers Bar Wine Alcohol Liquor Whiskey Rubber Spout

$10.76



Hard MTN Dew Livewire Promotional Package Mountain Dew Empty Cans Box No Alcohol picture

Hard MTN Dew Livewire Promotional Package Mountain Dew Empty Cans Box No Alcohol

$100.00



ATF Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms Waco TX  25th Anniversary Challenge Coin picture

ATF Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms Waco TX 25th Anniversary Challenge Coin

$28.50



2pc SET FLASK FUNNEL Stainless Steel Whiskey Hip Pocket Alcohol Liquor Filler  picture

2pc SET FLASK FUNNEL Stainless Steel Whiskey Hip Pocket Alcohol Liquor Filler

$5.99



ATF - Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives ThirdGEN gold F PM challenge coin picture

ATF - Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives ThirdGEN gold F PM challenge coin

$24.95



Glass Wine Decanter with Stopper Lid Crystal Whisky Alcohol Decanter Lead Free picture

Glass Wine Decanter with Stopper Lid Crystal Whisky Alcohol Decanter Lead Free

$19.99



Flask 8 oz Black Rubber Stainless Steel Screw Down Cap Hip Pocket Liquor Alcohol picture

Flask 8 oz Black Rubber Stainless Steel Screw Down Cap Hip Pocket Liquor Alcohol

$10.99



Powered by WordPress. Designed by WooThemes