Neural Correlates During Alcohol Intoxication

Description

Alcohol intoxication is responsible for a large proportion of violent crime/assault and personal injury in our society. While a number of variables have been associated with alcohol-related aggression, high trait aggression and impaired executive function have been identified as key factors. Both Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and Impulsive Aggression behavior (AGG) are related to impaired social-emotional information processing (SEIP) whereby social threat cues, especially ones that are ambiguous in nature, lead to hostile attribution and negative emotional response to the "other" and, then, aggression against the "other". Thus, understanding the underlying neuroscience of SEIP under the influence of alcohol will be critical to identifying targets for intervention to reduce alcohol-related aggressive behavior. In addition to potential pharmacologic and cognitive-behavioral based interventions, such interventions may also involve the rehabilitation of aberrant neuronal circuits underlying social cognitive function through neuroplasticity-based remediation exercises. This study is designed to see how brain activation of cortico-limbic circuits involving social-emotional information processing, analyzed by fMRI Imaging, are impacted by alcohol administration in those with and without aggressive disorders and with and without alcohol use disorder.

Conditions

Alcohol Use Disorder, Intermittent Explosive Disorder

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Study Overview

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Study Details

Study overview

Alcohol intoxication is responsible for a large proportion of violent crime/assault and personal injury in our society. While a number of variables have been associated with alcohol-related aggression, high trait aggression and impaired executive function have been identified as key factors. Both Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and Impulsive Aggression behavior (AGG) are related to impaired social-emotional information processing (SEIP) whereby social threat cues, especially ones that are ambiguous in nature, lead to hostile attribution and negative emotional response to the "other" and, then, aggression against the "other". Thus, understanding the underlying neuroscience of SEIP under the influence of alcohol will be critical to identifying targets for intervention to reduce alcohol-related aggressive behavior. In addition to potential pharmacologic and cognitive-behavioral based interventions, such interventions may also involve the rehabilitation of aberrant neuronal circuits underlying social cognitive function through neuroplasticity-based remediation exercises. This study is designed to see how brain activation of cortico-limbic circuits involving social-emotional information processing, analyzed by fMRI Imaging, are impacted by alcohol administration in those with and without aggressive disorders and with and without alcohol use disorder.

Aggression and Social-Emotional Information Processing: Neural Correlates During Alcohol Intoxication.

Neural Correlates During Alcohol Intoxication

Condition
Alcohol Use Disorder
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Columbus

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43210

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • 1. Inclusion Criteria for All Participants: All candidates for this study must meet the following criteria:
  • 1. 21 to 55 years of age (and be righted handed) and not a current (past 3 months) alcohol abstainer.
  • 2. Consumes \> 10 drinks/week or reports binge drinking at least once a month, and is not in, or currently seeking, treatment for AUD.
  • 3. PCL-SV psychopathy score \< 18
  • 4. Able/willing to abstain from alcohol for 24 hours before MRI scanning.
  • 5. Physically healthy (confirmed by comprehensive medical history and physical exam) and does not have metal implants, plates, or screws in body or head (MRI safety issue).
  • 6. If a smoker, consumes no more than 15 cigarettes per day.
  • 7. Able to give informed consent.
  • 2. Inclusion Criteria for AGG (Only) Participants: In addition to the above, all AGG candidates must meet the following criteria:
  • 1. Life History of Aggression (LHA) score \> 12
  • 2. In addition AGG participants must report:
  • 1. Current history of at least two (2) angry outbursts a week (on average) for the past three months and/or three significant angry aggressive outbursts in which other people are assaulted and/or property is damaged in the past year.
  • 2. Angry outbursts are out of proportion to provocation and not associated with a tangible goal (not premeditated).
  • 3. Angry outbursts are associated with distress and/or impairment;
  • 4. Angry outbursts do not occur exclusively during another disorder or condition.
  • 3. No lifetime history of AUD (from DSM-5 criteria).
  • 3. Inclusion Criteria for AUD (Only) Participants: In addition to the above, all AUD candidates must meet the following criteria:
  • 1. Meets DSM-5 criteria for alcohol use disorder (AUD) without significant history of alcohol withdrawal, seizures, or delirium tremens.
  • 2. Consumes \> 10 drinks/week or reports binge drinking at least once a month, and is not in, or currently seeking, treatment for AUD.
  • 4. Inclusion Criteria for AUD+ / AGG+ Participants: These participants meet criteria for both AUD and AGG as described above.
  • 5. Inclusion Criteria for Non-AGG/Non-AUD (Healthy Control) Participants: All Non-AGG/Non-AUD candidates must meet the following criteria:
  • 1. Does not meet DSM-5 criteria for current or past alcohol use disorder (AUD).
  • 2. LHA score is less than 12.
  • 3. Does not meet DSM-5 Criteria for a current, or past, major psychiatric disorder.

Ages Eligible for Study

21 Years to 55 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Collaborators and Investigators

Ohio State University,

Emil Coccaro, M.D., PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Study Record Dates

2026-08-31