Continuum versus premature aging theories of chronic alcoholism.

An attempt is made to differentiate, both theoretically and experimentally, the continuum theory from the premature aging theory of the chronic effects of alcohol on verbal information processing. It is argued that the continuum model necessitates a demonstration of differential 'pattern' of performance between alcoholics and normals in as much as alcoholic Korsakoff patients (at one end of the continuum) do demonstrate such patterns. Premature aging theories, on the other hand, need to demonstrate only subnormal performance by alcoholics relative to their contemporaries. Two experiments designed to assess these theories provided some evidence for premature aging but none for the continuum theory.