Alcohol-Related Stimuli Disrupt Inhibitory Control in Heavy but Not Light Drinkers in a Crowdsourced Sample

The association between inhibitory control and alcohol use has been well established. However, studies comparing the effects of alcohol cues on disinhibition in heavy and light drinkers have reported mixed results. The present study used a crowdsourcing platform, Prolific, to assess the effects of alcohol-related cues on inhibitory control in light drinkers versus heavy drinkers. Eligible participants were categorized as light or heavy drinkers based on National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism classifications. Participants (43 women and 65 men) then completed the Attentional Bias–Behavioral Activation task to assess inhibitory control. Subjects were randomized to either an alcohol or neutral-go condition. Inhibitory failures (IF) were measured as pressing a key when the assigned go cue was presented before the no-go cue. Analyses revealed a significant Drinking Status × Condition interaction, F(1, 99) = 5.656, p = .019, η²_p = 0.054. IF were greater in the alcohol-go compared to the neutral-go condition for heavy drinkers, t(46) = −1.848, p = .036, d = 0.538, but not light drinkers (p = .226, d = 0.197). Additionally, heavy drinkers had more IF than light drinkers in the alcohol-go condition, t(55) = −2.152, p = .018, d = 0.571, but not in the neutral-go condition (p = .266, d = 0.180). Results demonstrated that alcohol images disrupt inhibitory control in heavy drinkers but not light drinkers. The results from the present study extend research by using a crowdsourcing platform to replicate findings of disinhibition in heavy drinkers but not in light drinkers.