003-22 – Young, drunk, and fast: the paradoxical effects of hazardous drinking on cognitive performance in younger adults

Background and aims: Hazardous alcohol use associates with reduced cognitive function. Using vibrotactile perception to assess function may have benefits over other sensory stimuli. This cross-sectional study assessed vibrotactile simple and choice reaction time (RT) across hazardous (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test score ⩾8) and non-hazardous drinkers.

Methods: Participants (n = 86; 29m, 57f, aged 18-80; 33.47 ± 17.65 years) completed tasks and alcohol, mood, and subjective function (Executive Function Index; EFI) questionnaires. MANCOVAs were performed on RT and EFI scores to investigate function, and a bivariate correlation assessed relationships between objective/subjective function.

Findings: Surprisingly, hazardous drinkers were faster during choice RT. This was investigated further by analysing ‘older’ (30+ years) and ‘younger’ (18-29 years) hazardous and non-hazardous drinkers as four groups. Young hazardous drinkers performed better than both older groups for simple RT, while older non-hazardous drinkers were worse than both younger groups at choice RT. Subjectively, EFI subscales Strategic Planning and Impulse Control were reported as better in non-hazardous drinkers. When compared across older and younger hazardous and non-hazardous drinkers, subjective function was worse in young hazardous drinkers. Finally, Organisation and Impulse Control both positively correlate with choice and simple RT, indicating that as subjective function improved, RT increased (performance worsened).

Conclusions: These paradoxical results are considered in the context of the premature aging hypothesis, impulsivity, and various neurotransmitter systems. Furthermore, poorer subjective function in young hazardous drinkers indicates a possible metacognitive deficit, increased effort, or issues with vibrotactile perception as a cognitive function assessment in this group.