Alcohol, Cognition, and Impusivity

1546 Words4 Pages

When alcohol is consumed it attacks and impairs a variety of cognitive processes (Norton & Halay, 2001). Some of these cognitive processes include: executive decision making, impulse control, modification of emotion, and future preparation (Norton et al., 2001). The focus of this Research Paper will be to examine the cognitive effects of alcohol consumption and any correlations between impulse control (impulsivity) and alcohol consumption. Research studies have shown that alcohol use disrupts the neurocognitive processes involved in self-regulation and is associated with a high level of behavioral disinhibition, which is characteristic of the personality trait impulsivity (Noel, Tomberg, Verbanck & Campanella, 2010).
The construct of the personality trait impulsivity is not firmly defined. Behavioral disinhibition and lack of control are used within the construct of impulsivity (Dick et al., 2010).
Impulsive behavior may stem from a variety of processes involving personality. The nature of these personality processes have not been consistently agreed upon. The construct of impulsivity includes personality processes such as: sensation seeking, risk taking, unreliability, novelty seeking, susceptibility to boredom, boldness, unorderliness, and the need for adventure (Depue & Collins, 1999). Data has shown there is no one single facet of personality that can explain impulsive behavior in its entirety (Dick et al., 2010).
There are five facets to impulsive behavior described in past models. These five facets are related to each other moderately and consist of a group of heterogeneous traits (Cyders & Smith, 2007). These five facets include: positive urgency, negative urgency, lack of planning, lack of perseverance, and sensat...

... middle of paper ...

...ella, S. (2010). The influence of alcohol ingestion on cognitive response inhibition and error processing. Journal of
Psychopharmacology, 24, 253-258.
Noel, X., Van der Linden, M., d’Acremont, M., Bechara, A., Dan, B., Hanak, C., & Verbanck, P.
(2007). Alcohol cues increase cognitive impulsivity in individuals with alcoholism.
Psychopharmacology, 192, 291-298. doi:10.1007/s00213-006-0695-6
Norton, F., & Halay, L. (2001). Cognitive brain deficits associated with alcohol abuse:
Treatment implications. The American Association of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Journal, 15, 1-16.
Papachristou, H., Nederkoorn, C., Havermans, R., ver der Horst, M., & Jansen, A. (2012). Can’t stop the craving: The effect of impulsivity on cue-elicited craving for alcohol in heavy and light social drinkers. Psychpharmacology, 219, 511-518. doi:10.1007./s00213-011-
2240-5.

Open Document