Sex differences in the relationship between heavy alcohol use, inhibition and performance monitoring: Disconnect between behavioural and brain functional measures

Abstract

Previous research has reported mixed evidence of sex differences in the relationship between heavy alcohol use and deficits in behavioural control. Here, we examine sex differences in behavioural and event-related potential (ERP) markers of deficient inhibition. Participants were 71 young adults aged 18-21, who either drank heavily regularly (i.e., four standard drinks on one occasion, at least once a month, n=33, 20 male) or drank heavily less often than this (including never, n=38, 21 male). They completed a stop-signal task while ERPs were recorded. Increases in stop-signal reaction time, the time required to stop a response, were related to heavy drinking only in female participants. P3 amplitude, ERN amplitude and ERN latency did not display a significant interaction between group and sex. Heavy drinkers, regardless of sex, displayed a marginally larger successful>failed effect for P3 amplitude, and a marginally smaller error-related negativity. An apparent disconnect exists in behavioural and psychophysiological measures of sex differences in the relationship between heavy alcohol consumption and inhibitory processing; male heavy drinkers display only psychophysiological but not behavioural deficits, while female heavy drinkers display both. Future research may determine whether sex differences are apparent for other substances besides alcohol.

Keywords: Alcohol; Error negativity; Hazardous drinkers; Inhibitory control; Performance monitoring; Stop-signal task.