Meta-analysis of acute alcohol effects on response inhibition

Alcohol intoxication impairs response inhibition; however, discrepant findings have been reported regarding the magnitude and moderators of this effect. This meta-analysis of human laboratory studies aimed to quantify acute effects of alcohol on response inhibition and evaluate moderators of this effect. Eligible studies examined al-cohol's effects on response inhibition with the Go/No-Go (GNG) task (n = 1616 participants) or Stop Signal Task (SST) (n = 1310 participants). Results revealed a detrimental effect of acute alcohol on response inhibition overall (g = 0.411, 95 % CI [0.350, 0.471]), with similar effects in studies using GNG (g = 0.431, SE = 0.031) and SST (g = 0.366, SE = 0.063). Effect sizes were larger in studies involving higher breath alcohol concentration levels and under GNG conditions that established a prepotent response set. These findings establish the magnitude, precision, and potential moderators of alcohol's effects on inhibitory control, furthering under-standing of a key neurobehavioral mechanism proposed to underlie alcohol-related impulsivity and impaired control over consumption.