Memory impairment after binge drinking

The morning after an evening of binge drinking, the functioning of a person's memory is significantly impaired despite the fact that blood alcohol concentration may have returned to zero by that time. The impairment is most noticeable in long-term memory during the course of a hangover. This was shown in a study of alcohol hangover effects carried out by Dr Joris Verster of the Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences in The Netherlands. The results are published in the April issue of the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

Unknown alcohol hangover effects

The effects of acute alcohol intoxication on performance and behaviour are well known. Prevention campaigns warn of the risks to driving safety and the impairment of daily activities caused by alcohol. It is well documented that excessive alcohol use is often the cause of fights, violence and arguments. In contrast, the alcohol hangover effects after an evening of binge drinking are less well studied.

A substantial number of students drink large amounts of alcohol on single occasions, resulting in alcohol hangover. Dr Verster's findings are specifically important for these young people, since their major daily activity is learning and remembering. The results show that in addition to paying attention to the acute effects of alcohol intoxication, prevention and public awareness campaigns should also focus on the negative effects of alcohol hangover the day after an evening of binge drinking.

Results

Forty-eight students participated in the Utrecht study. Subjects were randomized into two groups: one consumed a large amount of alcohol mixed with orange juice (comparable to 8-10 beers), whereas the other consumed only orange juice without alcohol. The evening before drinking and the morning after drinking all subjects performed a memory test. In this test, fifteen words were learned. The number of words they could remember was assessed immediately after learning (short-term memory) and one hour thereafter (long-term memory). Learned words were presented along with a series of distracter words to assess recognition. The study showed that, after an evening of binge drinking, long-term memory functioned significantly worse in the alcohol group when compared to the non-drinking group. Short-term memory and recognition were not significantly affected by alcohol hangover.

Further details are available from:

Dr Joris C. Verster
University of Utrecht
Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences
Department of Psychopharmacology
PO Box 80082, 3508 TB, Utrecht
(Sorbonnelaan 16, Utrecht)
The Netherlands

Phone: + 31 30 253 6909
Fax: +31 30 253 7387
e-mail: j.c.verster@pharm.uu.nl
web-site: www.pharm.uu.nl/drugdriving