Inhibitory control and cue salience in alcohol abuse

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

We are investigating the causes and consequences of alcohol use, particularly binge drinking, in young people. This research will tell us why people behave the way that they do when they are drunk, and it will also tell us about the factors that put young people (aged 12-13) at risk for heavy drinking, and the long-term consequences of heavy drinking in these people. We know that chronic heavy drinking in adults is associated with many psychological changes, including increased ‘impulsivity’ and an increase in the attractiveness of alcohol-related pictures. Similarly, laboratory research demonstrates that people behave more impulsively, and alcohol-related pictures seem more attractive, after they have consumed moderate doses of alcohol. In this research, we will investigate two related issues. Firstly, we will conduct a large longitudinal study with schoolchildren, which will assess how impulsivity and the attractiveness of alcohol pictures change in relation to alcohol consumption over a period of two years. Secondly, in a series of laboratory experiments involving university students, we will investigate the psychological mechanisms through which alcohol intoxication can increase impulsivity and make alcohol-related pictures seem more attractive.