Effects of alcohol ingestion on tracking performance during angular acceleration.

Gave practice and base-line tests of tracking performance in both static (stationary) and dynamic (whole body angular acceleration) conditions to 20 male undergraduates. 10 ss then drank orange juice that contained 2 ml. Of 100-proof vodka/kg of s weight, while the others drank a control beverage. Tests, conducted 1-10 hr. After drinking, were in total darkness with the exception of the illuminated visual display. Static tracking errors for alcohol ss were significantly higher than those of controls only at the 4-hr session. However, alcohol ss made significantly more dynamic tracking errors during the 1-, 2-, and 4-hr sessions and, concomitantly, had significantly more nystagmic eye movements and higher rates of slow phase eye velocity than did controls. Results indicate that, although eye-hand coordination may show little or no impairment following alcohol ingestion in static situations, it may be seriously degraded during motion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)