Search resultsEffects of a low dose of alcohol on recollective experience of illusory memory
Title
Effects of a low dose of alcohol on recollective experience of illusory memory
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2000
Authors
Journal
Psychopharmacology
Volume
147
Issue
4
Pagination
397 - 402
Date published
2000
ISBN
00333158 (ISSN)
Keywords
Adult, Affect, alcohol, alcohol consumption, article, Central Nervous System Depressants, clinical trial, cognition, controlled clinical trial, controlled study, Cross-Over Studies, crossover procedure, double blind procedure, Double-Blind Method, Ethanol, False recognition, Female, human, human experiment, Humans, illusion, Illusions, Illusory memory, male, memory consolidation, Mental Recall, normal human, priority journal, recall, Recollective experience, statistical analysis, task performance, word recognition
Abstract
Rationale: Memory illusions are currently a focus of memory research. Studies using the Deese/Roediger and McDermott paradigm have shown a differential pattern of illusory memories is associated with amnesia and ageing. The effects of pharmacological agents in this paradigm are not yet known. Objective: Using this paradigm, the present study investigated the effects of a low dose of alcohol upon recollective experience of illusory memories. Methods: A double-blind cross-over design was used to compare the effects of alcohol (0.26-0.28 g.kg-1) with a matched placebo drink. Results: High levels of false recognition were obtained across both treatments, replicating previous results. Although the small dose of alcohol employed did not produce gross changes in measures of false memory, it did modify the pattern of recollective experience in terms of remember and know responses. Specifically, it increased the level of remember responses for falsely recognised items (critical lures). Conclusion: These results are discussed in terms of ethanol's effects on false recognition of information which was not presented during the study episode. The effects of low dose alcohol on illusory memory are similar to the pattern found in ageing rather than that found in organic amnesia.