Residual Effects of Intoxication on Student Performance

The primary goal of the study is to assess the residual effects of heavy drinking on academic performance. The investigators will also explore whether these effects differ by family history of alcohol abuse and hangover symptoms, as well as compare males and females with respect to these effects. The primary hypothesis is that intoxication (0.10 g% blood alcohol concentration [BAC]) with an alcoholic beverage impairs next-day academic performance, as measured by scores on quizzes, standardized academic achievement tests, and standardized neurobehavioral assessments. The secondary hypothesis is that family-history-positive individuals will show a greater performance decrement the day after heavy drinking than family-history-negative individuals.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Alcoholic Intoxication
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Alcohol; Other: Placebo

Detailed Description

The primary goal of the study is to assess the effect of heavy drinking on next day academic performance. A placebo-controlled 2-period crossover design will be used to compare the effects of dosing status on academic performance, with participants serving as their own controls. Participants are dosed on two separate occasions, once with non-alcoholic beverage and the other time with alcoholic beverage sufficient to raise blood alcohol to 0.10 g%. The morning after dosing, participants' academic performance is measured using a standardized achievement test (Graduate Record Exam). Participants' cognition is tested using the the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT). Data on participants' demographics, family history of drinking problems and alcohol use. We are also collecting information on hangover symptoms and sleep quality the morning after dosing, in addition to participants' self ratings of academic performance. The procedure is conducted twice with one week in between, switching the individuals' dosing status, presenting a different, but comparable lecture and reading, and administering a different quiz based on the new lecture and reading and a different, but comparable standardized achievement exam. This design is intended to test the hypothesis that intoxication (0.10 g% BAC) with alcoholic beverage impairs next-day academic performance.

Participation involves a total of five sessions over a two week period. Participants are undergraduates who volunteer and meet inclusion criteria. Prior to enrollment, volunteers are screened to ensure they meet initial eligibility criteria. Eligible volunteers receive written instructions regarding participation and are scheduled for the study sessions. Participants report to the study site on the first session for an additional screening by the study physician and go through the informed consent process. Eligible participants report back the next week for their first dosing night where they receive several drinks (alcohol or placebo) sufficient to raise their Breath Alcohol Level (BrAC) to 0.10 g%; the amount of beverage administered is based on their body weight. Those receiving placebo receive the same total quantity of beverage as those receiving alcohol. Both alcohol-dosed and placebo-dosed participants are breath-tested after they have completed their required dose. Participants sleep at the study site and are monitored overnight. The next morning they are awakened and are escorted to the exam room for the performance trials. They return the next week for the second dosing night/dosing morning, and receive either alcohol or placebo, depending on what was administered the previous week, and take different but comparable performance tests.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 239
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Massachusetts
    • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02118
      • General Clinical Research Center/Boston University School of Public Health

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 21 years to 30 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Ages 21-30
• Currently enrolled in college/university
• Have had 5 or more drinks (4 if female) in the last 30 days
• Score less than a 5 on the Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (SMAST)
• No self-reported history of counseling or treatment for substance abuse
• Not taking any medication contraindicated for alcohol use or that disrupts sleep
• Doesn't have a health condition contraindicated for alcohol use
• Has not been diagnosed with a primary sleep disorder
• Has not been diagnosed with a mental health disorder
• Not currently working night shifts at a job
• Not routinely taking medications that affect sleep
• If female, is using reliable birth control when necessary
• Not a regular smoker
• Likes the taste of beer

Exclusion Criteria:

• Less than age 21 and greater than age 30
• Not currently enrolled in college/university
• Hasn't had 5 or more drinks (4 if female) in the last 30 days (not a regular drinker)
• Score greater than or equal to 5 on the Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (SMAST)
• Self-reported history of counseling or treatment for substance abuse
• Taking any medication contraindicated for alcohol use or that disrupts sleep
• Has a health condition contraindicated for alcohol use
• Has been diagnosed with a primary sleep disorder
• Has been diagnosed with a mental health disorder
• Currently working night shifts at a job
• Routinely taking medications that affect sleep
• Is a regular smoker
• Is currently pregnant or nursing
• If female, is not using reliable birth control when necessary
• Not a regular drinker
• Dislikes the taste of beer

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Alcohol then Placebo; Participants report for their first dosing night where they receive several alcohol drinks. After a wash out period of 1 week they then return and receive several placebo drinks. Participants sleep at the study site, are monitored overnight, and the next morning are awakened and escorted to the performance trials.	Drug: Alcohol; Participants report for their first dosing night where they receive several alcohol/beer drinks sufficient to raise their BrAC to 0.10 g%. Participants are breath-tested after completing their required dose. Participants return in a week for the 2nd session and receive placebo drinks. Participants are breath-tested after completing their placebo drinks.; Other Names: Beer; Other: Placebo; Participants report for their first night where they receive several placebo drinks. Participants are breath-tested after completing their placebo drinks. Participants return in a week for the 2nd session and receive alcohol drinks sufficient to raise their BrAC to 0.10 g%. Participants are breath-tested after completing their required dose.; Other Names: Non-alcoholic drink
Experimental: Placebo then Alcohol; Participants report for their first night where they receive several placebo drinks. After a wash out period of 1 week they then return and receive several alcohol drinks. Participants sleep at the study site, are monitored overnight, and the next morning are awakened and escorted to the performance trials.	Drug: Alcohol; Participants report for their first dosing night where they receive several alcohol/beer drinks sufficient to raise their BrAC to 0.10 g%. Participants are breath-tested after completing their required dose. Participants return in a week for the 2nd session and receive placebo drinks. Participants are breath-tested after completing their placebo drinks.; Other Names: Beer; Other: Placebo; Participants report for their first night where they receive several placebo drinks. Participants are breath-tested after completing their placebo drinks. Participants return in a week for the 2nd session and receive alcohol drinks sufficient to raise their BrAC to 0.10 g%. Participants are breath-tested after completing their required dose.; Other Names: Non-alcoholic drink

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Self-reported Residual Effects of Heavy Drinking	This outcome will be measured by the afternoon total mood disturbance score. This is part of the Profile of Mood States Questionnaire (POMS). POMS is a 35 item instrument with Likert responses from 0 to 4 where 0=not at all and 4=extremely. Range of scores can be 0 to 140, lower scores are more favorable.	next day

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Cognitive Function in Response to Heavy Drinking	This outcome measure will be assessed using the Visual Span Test- Backwards (VST-B). This is the mean maximum span of words repeated backwards correctly. Higher scores are more favorable	next day
Academic Function in Response to Heavy Drinking	This outcome will be measured by the mean Graduate Record Exam (GRE) quantitative score. The quantitative score can range from 200-800. Higher scores are more favorable.	next day
Reaction Time Affected by Residual Effects of Heavy Drinking	This outcome will be measured with the Continuous Performance Test (CPT) for reaction time in mean milliseconds (ms). Lower reaction times are more favorable.	next day
Effectiveness of Psychomotor Vigilance Testing as a Fitness-for-duty Test	This outcome will be assessed with the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) in median milliseconds. The 10-min PVT measures sustained or vigilant attention by recording response times to visual (or auditory) stimuli that occur at random inter-stimulus intervals. Lower number of milliseconds are associated with greater vigilant attention.	next day

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Boston University
• Collaborators: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Jonathan Howland, PhD MPH MPA, Boston University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Rohsenow DJ, Howland J, Winter M, Bliss CA, Littlefield CA, Heeren TC, Calise TV. Hangover sensitivity after controlled alcohol administration as predictor of post-college drinking. J Abnorm Psychol. 2012 Feb;121(1):270-5. doi: 10.1037/a0024706. Epub 2011 Aug 22.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 1, 2004
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 1, 2009
• Study Completion (Actual): January 1, 2009

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 13, 2005
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 13, 2005
• First Posted (Estimate): September 16, 2005

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 8, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 4, 2020
• Last Verified: December 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Alcohol; Alcohol abuse; Residual effects; Unhealthy alcohol use; Psychomotor vigilance test; Alcoholic beverages (beer); Psychomotor performance; Neurobehavioral Evaluation System; Family history of alcohol use; Alcoholic Consumption
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Chemically-Induced Disorders; Nervous System Diseases; Alcohol-Related Disorders; Substance-Related Disorders; Neurologic Manifestations; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Alcoholic Intoxication
• Other Study ID Numbers: H-23064; P60AA013759 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: Yes