Idiographically Determined Versus Standard Absorption Periods in Alcohol Administration Studies

  1. Rebecca L. Schacht,
  2. Susan A. Stoner,
  3. William H. George,
  4. Jeanette Norris

Article first published online: 10 MAR 2010

DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2010.01165.x

Issue

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research

Volume 34, Issue 5, pages 925–927, May 2010

Additional Information

How to Cite

Schacht, R. L., Stoner, S. A., George, W. H. and Norris, J. (2010), Idiographically Determined Versus Standard Absorption Periods in Alcohol Administration Studies. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 34: 925–927. doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2010.01165.x

Author Information

  1. From the Department of Psychology (RLC, WHG), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Talaria, Inc. (SAS), Seattle, Washington; Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute (JN), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.

*Correspondence: Reprint requests: Rebecca Schacht, MS, University of Washington, Box 351525, Seattle, WA 98195; Fax: +206-685-3157; E-mail: rschacht@u.washington.edu

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 23 APR 2010
  2. Article first published online: 10 MAR 2010
  3. Received for publication June 15, 2009; accepted January 4, 2010.

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Keywords:

  • Alcohol Administration;
  • Absorption Period

Background:  Effects of alcohol vary depending on blood alcohol level and limb. Some researchers use standard absorption periods (SAPs) to determine when postdrinking experimental protocols should begin. Others use an idiographically determined absorption period (IDAP) based on criterion breath alcohol concentration (BrAC). We investigated and compared the characteristics of each method.

Methods:  Sixty-eight social drinkers (47% women) consumed a bolus dose of alcohol intended to raise BrAC to 0.08%. BrACs were recorded every 3 minutes until beginning to descend. Minutes to reach criterion BrAC (0.06%) and between-subjects postdrinking BrAC variability were analyzed.

Results:  Mean time to reach 0.06% BrAC was 22.9 ± 14.6 minutes. Standard deviations in BrAC were 4 times greater using SAPs compared to IDAPs. Ten percent of participants’ BrAC readings were on the descending limb 30 minutes postdrinking, and 25% were descending at 45 minutes postdrinking.

Conclusions:  IDAPs result in less BrAC variability and may reduce experimental noise relative to SAPs. Experimental control in future alcohol administration studies may be enhanced by the use of IDAPs instead of SAPs.

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