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Alcohol impacts decision-making in males more than females, UTEP study suggests

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Consuming alcohol impacts decision-making -- that's a widely-known fact. However, a recent study at UTEP found that gender may affect those impacts.

Using rats, Alexander Friedman, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, led a team to observe the effects of alcohol consumption in males versus females. The team developed an arena with sucrose and alcohol intended to mimic mixed beverages and alcohol consumed by humans.

They gave rats decision-making tasks and compared their behaviors before and after consuming alcohol. Results found male rats under the influence "drastically alter their decisions" by drinking more.

Meanwhile, intoxicated female rats stayed true to their sober decisions despite consuming more alcohol by body weight, according to researchers.

Friedman said their findings suggest a "gender-specific vulnerability to alcohol's effects." He added it helps us understand how an alcohol-induced state can lead to biased choices.

Some male rats showed changes in decision-making for up to two months post-exposure, suggesting long-term cognitive effects.

Friedman said these results could extend beyond the experiment and could relate to decision-making behaviors across sexes in humans. Additionally, the results could help develop protocols for substance abuse specialists.

Article Topic Follows: Education

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Gabrielle Lopez

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