INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES IN THE ACUTE RESPONSE TO ALCOHOL

Individual differences in the response to alcohol were examined. In th e first study 16 male subjects administered alcohol under controlled c onditions varied extensively in time to peak breath alcohol, peak brea th alcohol level, elimination rate, time course of impairment and subj ective drunkenness. In a second study on 60 male subjects such variati ons were predicted with recent consumption, family drug and alcohol pr oblems, extraversion, neuroticism, anxiety and sensation-seeking. Men who reported recently consuming more alcohol tended to achieve higher peak breath alcohol levels (BAL). Eating more breakfast slightly reduc ed BAL. Men with higher BAL, who had recently drunk more and who were more neurotic tended to track less well after alcohol. Men who reporte d higher recent consumption tended to react more quickly after alcohol , although they were nonetheless slower than baseline. Men who were mo re anxious, neurotic and sensation-seeking tended to report higher con sumption of alcohol. It is concluded that individual differences, part icularly recent consumption, are important determinants of the respons e to alcohol and that, rather than directly affecting the response to alcohol, personality primarily affects consumption, which in turn affe cts performance and alcohol metabolism.