Electrophysiological indices of acute effects of ethanol on involuntary attention shifting

Dose-related effects of ethanol (placebo, 0.30, and 0.60 g/kg) on behavioral and event-related brain potential (ERP) indices of involuntary attention shifting of audition were investigated. ERPs were recorded from 11 healthy social drinkers during a forced-choice reaction-time (RT) task. Subjects were presented with 100 and 200 ms tones (P = 0.50 for each) with a constant inter-stimulus interval (ISI) of 1 s. The task was to press either of two buttons, depending on the tone duration. The majority of the tones (“standards”) were of 700 Hz (P = 0.82). Occasionally, however, the frequency of the tones changed, deviating either slightly (750 Hz), moderately (900 Hz), or widely (1200 Hz; P = 0.06 for each) from the standard frequency. In accordance with previous findings, the task-irrelevant frequency deviations prolonged the RT. This RT prolongation was attenuated by alcohol with the 0.3 g/kg dose, thus suggesting less distraction by irrelevant stimulus deviations under the influence of ethanol. Furthermore, the P3a, reflecting involuntary attention shifting, was suppressed by alcohol even with the 0.3 g/kg dose. These findings demonstrate a detrimental effect of alcohol on involuntary attention shifting, evident with doses considerably smaller than previously described, and still juridically acceptable in road traffic in most countries. Received: 19 December 1997/Final version: 26 May 1998