Acute alcohol consumption |
* Differences in task demands
* Heterogeneity of response to alcohol
* Small sample sizes
* Differences in study inclusion and exclusion criteria
* Cross-sectional vs. longitudinal study
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* Important to control for variables such as
♦ Age
♦ Education
♦ Socioeconomic status (SES)
♦ Depression/anxiety symptoms
♦ Smoking status
♦ Drinking patterns
♦ Alcohol-related pharmacokinetics
♦ Hormonal differences
♦ Nutritional status
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♦ Comorbid medical conditions
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Deficits reported in women |
Divided attention
Psychomotor speed
Working memory
Short-term memory
Set-shifting
Decision-making
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Moderate drinking |
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Modest beneficial effects
Increased risk of
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Chronic excessive alcohol consumption |
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Telescoping |
Compared with men:
Women have shorter intervals between landmark events from the inception of drinking to entering treatment.
Women experience medical and health-related problems earlier, even when duration and amount of alcohol consumed are comparable between the sexes.
Women exhibit different patterns and severity of cognitive compromise, some modulated by sex-related emotional and social factors.
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