A good deal is known about the effects of both alcohol intoxication and sleep deprivation on human performance in specific tasks. However, little is known about the effects of these two treatment conditions of component cognitive processes, fundamental to a wide range of human activities. Further, little is known about the effects of these two conditions in combination, despite the fact that the two occur together commonly in a variety of social and industrial settings. Five factorial experiments have been designed to extend our knowledge of the independent and combined effects of alcohol and sleep deprivation on human cognitive processes and resources. The first three examine the effects of these treatments on component cognitive processes defined by categorically distinct task variables additive factors analysis of reaction times. The fourth examines the effects of the two treatments on response measures reflecting resource allocation. The fifth experiment will examine the mobilization of resources by incentive, which may ameliorate the effects of the two treatments. The first and last experiments also permit speed/accuracy analyses of performance, reflecting resource allocation and usage under the two treatment conditions. Integrated behavioral and event-related potential data will provide an account of alcohol and sleep deprivation effects on cognitive processes and resources required by a wide ranged of human activities. Such an account, based on component processes of human cognition, nay provide wider predictive generality than an account based on task-specific performance simulations alone.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AA007327-02
Application #
3111120
Study Section
Alcohol Biomedical Research Review Committee (ALCB)
Project Start
1987-07-01
Project End
1991-06-30
Budget Start
1988-07-01
Budget End
1989-06-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1988
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
937727907
City
Oklahoma City
State
OK
Country
United States
Zip Code
73117
Krull, K R; Smith, L T; Sinha, R et al. (1993) Simple reaction time event-related potentials: effects of alcohol and sleep deprivation. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 17:771-7
Krull, K R; Smith, L T; Kalbfleisch, L D et al. (1992) The influence of alcohol and sleep deprivation on stimulus evaluation. Alcohol 9:445-50