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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2022 Oct 15;10(1):233.
doi: 10.1186/s40359-022-00942-1.

Underlying mechanisms in the relationship between stress and alcohol consumption in regular and risky drinkers (MESA): methods and design of a randomized laboratory study

Charlotte Wittgens  1   2 , Markus Muehlhan  3   4 , Anja Kräplin  5 , Max Wolff  6 , Sebastian Trautmann  7   8
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Underlying mechanisms in the relationship between stress and alcohol consumption in regular and risky drinkers (MESA): methods and design of a randomized laboratory study

Charlotte Wittgens et al. BMC Psychol. .

Abstract

Background: Excessive alcohol consumption and alcohol use disorders (AUD) are among the leading preventable causes of premature morbidity and mortality and are considered a major public health concern. In order to reduce the individual and societal burden of excessive alcohol use, it is crucial to identify high-risk individuals at earlier stages and to provide effective interventions to prevent further progression. Stressful experiences are important risk factors for excessive alcohol consumption and AUDs. However, the underlying biological and psychological mechanisms are still poorly understood.

Methods: The project "Underlying mechanisms in the relationship between stress and alcohol consumption in regular and risky drinkers (MESA)" is a randomized controlled study that started in December 2018 and is conducted in a laboratory setting, which aims to identify moderators and mediators of the relationship between acute stress and alcohol consumption among regular and risky drinkers. Regular and risky drinkers are randomly assigned to a stress induction or a control condition. Several processes that may mediate (emotional distress, endocrine and autonomic stress reactivity, impulsivity, inhibitory control, motivational sensitization) or moderate (trait impulsivity, childhood maltreatment, basal HPA-axis activity) the relation between stress and alcohol consumption are investigated. As primary dependent variable, the motivation to consume alcohol following psychosocial stress is measured.

Discussion: The results of this study could help to provide valuable targets for future research on tailored interventions to prevent stress-related alcohol consumption.

Keywords: AUD; Acute stress; Ad-libitum taste-test; Risky alcohol consumption; TSST.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Study design
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Dot-probe task
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Go-nogo task
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Schematic overview of the tasks in the decision-making battery. a Delay discounting task. b Probability discounting for gains. c Probability discounting for losses. d Mixed gambles task [66]
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Study procedure. Note: IC Informed consent, TSST Trier social stress test
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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