Investigation of the “Hangover” Effects of an Acute Dose of Alcohol on Psychomotor Performance

Abstract

Performance on some complex and difficult tasks has been shown to be negatively affected for some time after an acute dose of alcohol has been cleared from the system. However, Dauncey reported impairment of a relatively simple reaction time task 3 hr after a dose of alcohol, when the blood alcohol concentration was at or near 0. This impairment was positively related to the subject's drinking history. A replication using the same task found a linear dose/impairment relationship during intoxication. A second simple reaction time task and a vigilance task showed a trend toward impairment, but only a divided attention task was significantly affected during intoxication. There was no significant effect of dose on any of these tests during a "morning after" session. The results are discussed in relation to the differences in method between Dauncey and this study.

Alcohol Hangover Effects on Memory Functioning and Vigilance Performance after an Evening of Binge Drinking

“…In line with a previous study that also applied the Mackworth clock test (Lemon et al, 1993), the difference between the two groups was not significant in the morning session. Figure 2 illustrates that alertness in the placebo condition was significantly increased in the morning session.…”

“…Confusingly, some studies reported significant psychomotor performance impairment (Takala, 1958;Kelly et al, 1970;Seppälä et al, 1976;Bonte and Volck, 1978;Myrsten et al, 1980;Laurell and Törnros, 1983;Yesavage and Von Leirer, 1986;Roehrs et al, 1991;Yesavage et al, 1994;Anderson and Dawson, 1999), whereas other studies did not (Carroll et al, 1964;Ideström and Cadenius, 1968;Dowd et al, 1973;Collins and Chiles, 1980;Collins, 1980;Morrow et al, 1990;Törnros and Laurell, 1991;Lemon et al, 1993;Chait and Perry, 1994;Streufert et al, 1995;Taylor et al, 1996;Finnigan et al, 1998). Taking into account that the majority of participants in these studies did report hangover symptoms, the inconclusive results are rather unexpected.…”

Development and Initial Validation of the Hangover Symptoms Scale: Prevalence and Correlates of Hangover Symptoms in College Students

“…Hangover may also produce psychomotor performance decrements that could increase risk for accidental injury or death when operating a motor vehicle or engaging in other potentially dangerous activities (cf. Chait and Perry, 1994;Cherpitel et al, 1998;Finnigan et al, 1998;Lemon et al, 1993;Myrsten et al, 1980;Yesavage and Leirer, 1986). Hangover may also have prognostic significance.…”

How Safe are Federal Regulations on Occupational Alcohol Use?

“…Lemon et al (42) found no impairment on a divided attention task 12 h after intoxication (0.083 g% mean BAC). Chait and Perry (43) found no evidence of impairment on a battery of behavioral tasks the morning following heavy drinking.…”