What We Know	Factors That Influence Research Outcomes
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 * 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 ♦ Comorbid medical conditions ▪ HIV ▪ Hepatitis C ▪ Non-alcohol substance misuse ▪ Psychiatric conditions ▪ Chronic pain
Deficits reported in women
Divided attention Psychomotor speed Working memory Short-term memory Set-shifting Decision-making
Moderate drinking
Modest beneficial effects Better overall cognitive ability Slower rate of cognitive decline in aging Increased risk of Breast cancer Gastrointestinal disorders Infectious diseases
Chronic excessive alcohol consumption
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.