Bradford Daniel E, Shapiro Benjamin L, Curtin John J
University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Psychol Sci. 2013 Dec;24(12):2541-9. doi: 10.1177/0956797613499923. Epub 2013 Oct 21.
Stress response dampening is an important motive for alcohol use. However, stress reduction via alcohol (alcohol SRD) is observed inconsistently in the laboratory, and this has raised questions about the precise mechanisms and boundary conditions for these effects. Emerging evidence indicates that alcohol SRD may be observed selectively during uncertain but not certain threats. In a final sample of 89 participants, we measured stress response via potentiation of defensive startle reflex in response to threat of shock in blocks with certain (low and high) and uncertain shock intensity. Our alcohol-administration procedure produced blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) across a broad range (0.00%-0.12%) across participants. Increasing BACs were associated with linearly decreasing startle potentiation and self-reported anxiety. This SRD effect was greater during uncertain than certain threat. More broadly, these results suggest that distinct mechanisms are involved in response to threats of uncertain intensity and threats of certain intensity.
应激反应抑制是饮酒的一个重要动机。然而，在实验室中通过酒精减轻压力（酒精性应激减轻）的现象并不一致，这引发了关于这些效应的确切机制和边界条件的问题。新出现的证据表明，酒精性应激减轻可能在不确定而非确定的威胁期间有选择地观察到。在89名参与者的最终样本中，我们通过在具有确定（低和高）和不确定电击强度的组块中对电击威胁的防御性惊跳反射增强来测量应激反应。我们的酒精给药程序在参与者中产生了广泛范围（0.00%-0.12%）的血液酒精浓度（BAC）。血液酒精浓度的增加与惊跳增强和自我报告的焦虑呈线性下降相关。这种应激减轻效应在不确定威胁期间比确定威胁期间更大。更广泛地说，这些结果表明，对不确定强度威胁和确定强度威胁的反应涉及不同的机制。
