Individual differences in psychophysiological responses after alcohol ingestion.

We have conducted a study on the individual differences in psychophysiological responses to alcohol. The subjects were 12 flushers and 12 non-flushers. In the flushers, significant increases in the blood acetaldehyde (AcH) level, skin temperature and pulse rate were found. In the non-flushers, on the contrary, no significant increase was observed. There was no difference between the flushers and the non-flushers concerning the change in the blood ethanol (EtOH) level nor the change of P1 and P2 latencies in photopalpebral reflex (PPR). Also, no difference was found in the change of the state anxiety level. From these results, we concluded that there exists an obvious discrepancy between the central inhibitory response (elicited by EtOH) and the autonomic response (elicited by AcH) of the human subjects to a small amount of alcohol.