The effects of alcohol hangover on cognitive functions in healthy subjects

Abstract

A hangover is characterized by the constellation of unpleasant physical and mental symptoms that occur between 8 and 16 h after drinking alcohol. We evaluated the effects of experimentally-induced alcohol hangover on cognitive functions using the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery. A total of 13 normal adult males participated in this study. They did not have any previous histories of psychiatric or medical disorders. We defined the experimentally-induced hangover condition at 13 h after drinking a high dose of alcohol (1.5 g/kg of body weight). We evaluated the changes of cognitive functions before drinking alcohol and during experimentally-induced hangover state. The Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery was administrated in order to examine the changes of cognitive functions. Cognitive functions, such as visual, memory, and intellectual process functions, were decreased during the hangover state. Among summary scales, the profile elevation scale was also increased. Among localization scales, the scores of left frontal, sensorimotor, parietal-occipital dysfunction, and right parietal-occipital scales were increased during the hangover state. These results indicate that alcohol hangovers have a negative effect on cognitive functions, particularly on the higher cortical and visual functions associated with the left hemisphere and right posterior hemisphere.