Recollecting a previous drinking episode reduces subsequent motivation for alcohol in females

Abstract

Research has consistently demonstrated the effects of alcohol on memory, but the extent to which memory influences prospective drinking behaviour has not been studied extensively. Here, we adapt and extend theory from the food domain to explore whether memory for a previous drinking episode can reduce the motivation to consume alcohol. Female participants (N = 50) completed the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) and were then cued to recall either a previous alcohol drinking episode and estimate the number of alcohol calories consumed (Alcohol Cue, AC) or a control (Neutral Cue, NC). They then consumed an alcoholic beverage in their own time followed by providing an estimate of subsequent alcohol intake. We found that the duration to finish the drink was longer in the AC versus NC condition. Additionally, irrespective of condition, those individuals at a higher alcohol (AUDIT) risk, consumed the drink at a faster rate and wished to consume more subsequent alcohol. These findings suggest that for females, memory for a previous drinking alcohol episode, reduces subsequent desire for alcohol and could offer a potentially useful way to help avoid excess alcohol consumption.