submission - Independent Pilots Association

Dtscussror
In the prescrl study moderalc let'els of alcohol intoxic¡uon had ¿ cl¿a.¡lv measuable effect on
neu"rcbcturiowal pcrformance. \\re observed thar as blood alcohc. concentration inc¡e¡scd
pcrforman;e on all tbe tasL-s, cxcept for one, significa-rtly decreasc.i. A simila¡ effec¡ was
obsened i¡ the sustai¡ed watefulness condition. As hours of wakefulness i¡creas:.J
pcrformanæ levels for for¡ of the six pa¡ameters signifuurrly dccreased- Comparison of tbe ¡wo
effecls indicE::d tbu modcrarc level5 e¡ootsirrd wakefr¡lness produc: performance decresìents
comparable o üose ob'served ar moderare levcls of alcotpl intoúcation L:i social drinkers.
As previous resca¡ch has found th¡t sme individu"l< tend ro pcrfonrr in a nan¡er that is
consisænt with the cxpectation th"¡ they :ue in¡oxicated due ro alcohol consump,jon
(Brcchenridgea¡¡dDodd" l99l), aplacebo condiúon *'as rnclu.leti br this srudy. We found ¡har
rhe placcbo beverage did nor slgnrficantiy eflècr mea¡. rulative perÍorrnancc. Tlrus, ir r¡.as
assumed that ¡erformance decrements e''oserr':d drrnng rle alcohol co¡i:jcn u'e¡c causeC sclelv
bi'incrcas:r3bloodalcoholconcenüa¡ion.\loreo'cr-Ño"lffirlepiaceuo
ccndirion in nis study gcnereì-¡' dii not crcatc dìe perception ci ar:ohol consumprion.
Furthermcre. lheu participants Ì:ad alread¡ o