This paper discusses research by the Vermont Alcohol Research Center, USA, on the earliest detectable onset of alcohol effects on psychomotor behaviour. Innovative methods and technology are being used, including extremely sensitive instrumentation. There is also research on involuntary behaviour, and aspects of behaviour that are normally outside conscious awareness. US police officers often widely use the Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST), which was developed and validated for drinkers with blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of at least 100mg/dl. However, the reliability and validity of such tests to detect even these relatively high BACs under field conditions has recently been questioned. Thus research is being conducted on a more complete test battery to investigate the psychobiological effects of alcohol. In addition to manual scoring, very small body movements of the subjects, and perturbations of their postural control, are being measured, together with disturbances to oculomotor functioning and the effects of alcohol on speech performance. Recent developments in sensor and microcomputing techniques have enabled the detection and measurement of subtle effects of alcohol, including those at low concentrations, that were not possible only a few years ago.
Abstract