Dissociative antagonistic effects of caffeine on alcohol-induced impairment of behavioral control

Abstract

The present study examined the separate and combined effects of alcohol and caffeine on behavioral control in a context in which preliminary cues signaled the likelihood that a response should be executed or inhibited. Social drinkers (N = 12) performed a cued go/no-go task that measured control as the quick execution of responses to go targets and sudden suppression of responses to no-go targets. Performance was tested under 3 doses of caffeine (0.0 mg/kg, 2.0 mg/kg, and 4.0 mg/kg) in combination with 2 doses of alcohol (0.0 g/kg and 0.65 g/kg). Alcohol impaired both inhibitory and activational aspects of behavioral control. Caffeine antagonized alcohol effects on response execution but had no effect on inhibitory control. The findings highlight potential differences in how activational and inhibitory aspects of behavioral control respond to drug interactions.