ASSESSMENT OF MODERATE BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT EFFECTS ON SELECTIVE ATTENTION OF YOUNG LEARNERS IN THE DISTRICT OF ABIDJAN (IVORY COAST)

Serge Pacome Kouadio Koffi, Emmanuel Diboh*, Luc Kakou Gbalou, Kouadio Pacome N’go and Et Antoine Neme Tako

ABSTRACT

Alcoholism represents a real public health problem causing deaths worldwide. In addition to this, other side effects on health include functional disorders of mental attention and memory. Regular consumption of alcohol, though moderated, increases the risk of atrial fibrillation. Also, individual variability and particular sensitivity of young people suggest that this mode of consumption could cause learning difficulties in this group of the population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on selective attention of young learners (in school). The study compared the attentional performance of young people consuming alcohol in moderate doses to approximate a Blood Alcohol content of 0.2 g/L, 0.5 g/L and 0.8 g/L, using the Stroop test. These experiments showed that these doses (less than or equal to 0.8 g/L) did not significantly affect the selective attention capacities of either occasional or regular alcohol users. However, with psychoactive substances, caution is required, as the brain tends to crave for pleasurable experiences. An example shared by many people who can travel long distances to always enjoy a square meal. Thus, one can easily switch from a moderate to a harmful consumption of alcohol.

Keywords: Moderate Alcohol - Stroop Test - Young Men - Selective Attention.