The effects of 0.8 g alcohol kg-1 on cns processes as reflected in various physiological and psychological changes were studied in controlled experiments in 14 subjects in relation to BAC levels. A two period change-over design with repeated trials over four hours allowed to ascertain the time course and to isolate alcohol-induced changes from diurnal variations. Differential patterns of biphasic or triphasic alcohol-induced changes were evaluated, both spontaneous and stimulus-elicited, in self-estimated mood modalities, in EEG spectral changes in the time and frequency domains, in heart rate parameters and in electrodermal activity, varying with the bac level and the metabolic phase of alcohol biotransformation. The effects during the alcohol absorption phase are interpreted as a stimulating action of alcohol on all parameters assessed, whereas the effects during the elimination phase being reversed in comparison to the changes during absorption, infer a sedative or depressant action of alcohol in this phase. The effects observed in the last trial, to a certain extent interpreted as stimulating, are simultaneous with the beginning of the post-alcohol hang-over phase. For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 259956..
Abstract