Journal of Psychiatry

What impact does the alcohol hangover state have upon event-based prospective memory?

28^th Euro Congress on Psychiatrists and Psychologists

July 05-06, 2018 | Vienna, Austria

Thomas M Heffernan

Northumbria University, UK

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Psychiatry

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: The alcohol hangover (AH) state is characterized by a range of symptoms that remain after one???s blood-alcohol level returns to zero, following a previous bout of excessive drinking. These symptoms include drowsiness, fatigue, gastro-intestinal problems, dry mouth, nausea, sweating, and tremulousness. Research has shown that the AH reduces cognitive performance in terms of reduced alertness, problems in concentration, and executive function. However, no published research has studied what impact the AH state has upon prospective memory (the ability to remember future intentions/actions, e.g. remembering to take an important medication on time). This study aimed to compare an AH group with a group on non-hungover individuals upon an objective measure of prospective memory. Methodology: Utilizing a between-subjects design, a group of 20 participants in a state of alcohol hangover (the AH group) were compared with 24 controls that did not have a hangover, the non-alcohol-hangover (NAH) group. The prospective remembering video procedure (PRVP) was used as an objective test of prospective Memory (PM)???within which each participant was required to recall previously assigned actions in response to location cues as they appeared during a short 10 minute video focusing on shop fronts/passers-by in an unfamiliar shopping area. Since mood and other drug use can also affect memory, these too were measured as covariates. Findings: After observing no between-group differences on gender, age alcohol use (weekly units and years spent drinking), cigarette use, depression and anxiety, the AH group recalled significantly fewer action-location combinations than the non- AH group (p<.05). It is concluded that a state of AH impairs everyday prospective memory. Given the importance of PM to everyday remembering, this may be an important finding and provide the basis for future work in the area.

Biography :

E-mail: tom.heffernan@northumbria.ac.uk