Working Memory Over a Six-Year Period in Young Binge Drinkers

Adolescence and early adulthood are periods of particular vulnerability to the neurotoxic effects of
alcohol. Young people with alcohol-use disorders display deficits in working memory (WM). This
function is supported by the prefrontal cortex, a late-maturing brain region. However, little is known
about the progression of cognitive dysfunctions associated with a binge-drinking (BD) pattern of alcohol
consumption among non-clinical adolescents. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship
between BD trajectory and WM in university students. An initial sample of 155 male and female firstyear
university students was followed prospectively over 6 years. The participants were classified as
stable non-BDs, stable BDs, and ex-BDs, according to the third item of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification
Test (AUDIT). WM was assessed using the Self-Ordered Pointing Task. Generalized linear mixed
models were applied. The results showed that stable BDs committed more total perseverative errors and
showed a lower WM span in the difficult blocks than stable non-BDs. Difficulties in WM span showed
some improvement, whereas perseveration errors remained constant throughout the follow-ups in the
stable BDs. There were no significant differences between ex-BDs and non-BDs. In conclusion, stable BD
is associated with WM deficits, particularly perseverations and low WM span in demanding trials, when
compensatory mechanisms may no longer be successful. The partial improvement in WM span may
support the notion of a neuromaturational delay, whereas the temporal stability of perseveration deficits
may reflect either neurotoxic effects of alcohol or premorbid characteristics. Abandoning the BD pattern
of alcohol consumption may lead to partial recovery.