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Alcohol impairment of saccadic and smooth pursuit eye movements: impact of risk factors for alcohol dependence

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Abstract

Rationale

While persons at risk for alcohol dependence by virtue of heavy drinking patterns or family history (FH) of alcohol use disorders have exhibited differential alcohol responses on a variety of measures, few studies have examined alcohol's effects on eye movements in these subgroups.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to (1) conduct a placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study of alcohol's effects on eye movements and (2) examine the impact of these risk factors on oculomotor response to alcohol.

Methods

A within-subject, double-blind laboratory study was conducted in N = 138 heavy (HD; n = 78) and light social drinkers (LD; n = 60) with self-reported positive (FH+) or negative (FH−) family history. Subjects participated in three laboratory sessions in which they consumed a beverage containing a high (0.8 g/kg) or low (0.4 g/kg) dose of alcohol or placebo. Smooth pursuit, pro-saccadic, and anti-saccadic eye movements were recorded before and at two intervals after alcohol consumption.

Results

Alcohol significantly impaired smooth pursuit gain and pro- and anti-saccade latency, velocity, and accuracy in a dose and time specific matter. HD and LD showed similar impairment on smooth pursuit gain and anti-saccade measures, but HD were less impaired in pro-saccade latency, velocity, and accuracy. FH+ and FH− subjects were equally impaired in nearly all pro- and anti-saccade measures, but FH+ were less impaired in smooth pursuit gain.

Conclusions

In sum, alcohol produced systematic impairment on oculomotor functioning, even at a non-intoxicating dose. Furthermore, high- and low-risk drinkers may be vulnerable to select performance deficits relative to eye movement task.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Drs. Sean O'Connor and Dingcai Cao for their valuable input with the eye tracker, data analysis, and manuscript preparation. We also thank Patrick McNamara for his technical assistance, conducting experimental sessions, and database management.

This research was supported by NIH grant R01-AA013746 and NCI Cancer Center Grant P30-CA14599. This publication was also made possible by Grant Number UL1 RR024999 from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), a component of the NIH and NIH Roadmap for Medical Research.

The experiments in this study comply with the current US laws and were in compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki for human subjects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue (MC-3077), Chicago, IL, 60637, USA

    Daniel J. O. Roche & Andrea C. King

  2. Committee on Neurobiology, University of Chicago, 947 E. 58th St., Chicago, IL, 60637, USA

    Daniel J. O. Roche & Andrea C. King

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  1. Daniel J. O. Roche
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  2. Andrea C. King
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Correspondence to Andrea C. King.

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Work was performed at the Clinical Addictions Research Laboratory, University of Chicago.

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Roche, D.J.O., King, A.C. Alcohol impairment of saccadic and smooth pursuit eye movements: impact of risk factors for alcohol dependence. Psychopharmacology 212, 33–44 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-010-1906-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-010-1906-8

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