Surreal illustration symbolizing the struggle with alcohol addiction.

Losing Control: New Lab Model Offers Insights into Alcohol Use Disorder

Rhea Morgan in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Researchers are exploring new ways to understand why some people struggle to limit their alcohol consumption, potentially leading to earlier interventions."

The inability to control alcohol consumption is a hallmark of alcohol use disorders, impacting individuals' lives and presenting significant challenges for treatment. Recognizing this, researchers have been actively seeking better ways to understand the complexities of impaired control (IC) – the struggle to limit drinking despite intentions to do so. Most of the research relies on self-reporting methods. However, a new study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology introduces an innovative approach to studying this phenomenon, potentially opening doors to more effective interventions.

The study, led by Jeffrey D. Wardell and colleagues, details the development and preliminary evaluation of a human laboratory model of impaired control. This model uses intravenous (IV) alcohol self-administration, allowing researchers to closely monitor and measure participants' alcohol intake in a controlled setting. This method offers a more objective assessment compared to traditional self-report measures, providing valuable insights into the real-time behavioral and psychological processes involved in losing control over alcohol consumption.

By understanding these underlying mechanisms, researchers hope to develop more targeted and effective interventions for individuals at risk of developing alcohol use disorders. This research represents a significant step forward in our understanding of impaired control and its role in the development and maintenance of alcohol dependence.

How Does the IV Alcohol Self-Administration Model Work?

Surreal illustration symbolizing the struggle with alcohol addiction.

The study involved young adults (ages 19-22) who were heavy episodic drinkers. Participants completed a two-hour IV alcohol self-administration session. The key element of the session was an incentive: participants were encouraged to maintain their breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) below 80 mg%. This created a scenario where they had to actively regulate their alcohol intake.

Impaired control was then measured in two ways:

Exceeding the Limit: Whether participants surpassed the 80 mg% BrAC limit (IC+) or managed to stay below it (IC-).
Intention vs. Reality: The discrepancy between participants' intended peak BrAC and their actual peak BrAC during the session.

Throughout the session, researchers collected data on participants' subjective experiences, including their craving levels and perceived intoxication. This allowed them to examine the relationship between these subjective states and actual alcohol consumption behavior. By comparing the IC+ and IC- groups, the researchers were able to identify key differences in their behavioral and psychological responses to alcohol.

Why is This Research Important?

This study provides a novel and objective way to study impaired control in a laboratory setting. By using IV alcohol self-administration, researchers can gain a more nuanced understanding of the behavioral and psychological factors that contribute to the loss of control over alcohol. This knowledge can then be used to develop more effective interventions for preventing and treating alcohol use disorders, particularly in young adults. Further research is needed to validate these findings in larger and more diverse samples, but this study represents a promising step forward in the fight against alcohol dependence.

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Everything You Need To Know

What is the primary focus of the new lab model for studying alcohol consumption?

The new lab model focuses on understanding impaired control (IC) over alcohol consumption. This involves examining the struggle to limit drinking, a key characteristic of Alcohol Use Disorder. The model utilizes intravenous (IV) alcohol self-administration to measure participants' alcohol intake and assess their ability to regulate their consumption in a controlled setting, providing insights into the behavioral and psychological processes involved.

How does the IV alcohol self-administration model measure impaired control?

The model measures impaired control in two ways. Firstly, it assesses whether participants exceed the 80 mg% breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) limit (IC+). Secondly, it evaluates the discrepancy between participants' intended peak BrAC and their actual peak BrAC during the session. The study uses these metrics to quantify the loss of control, correlating them with subjective experiences like craving and perceived intoxication.

What is the significance of using IV alcohol self-administration in this research?

The use of IV alcohol self-administration provides a more objective and controlled environment for studying impaired control compared to traditional self-reporting methods. This approach allows researchers to closely monitor and measure participants' alcohol intake, offering valuable insights into the real-time behavioral and psychological processes involved in losing control over alcohol consumption. The method provides more reliable data.

How can this new research potentially impact the treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder?

By gaining a more nuanced understanding of the behavioral and psychological factors that contribute to the loss of control over alcohol, researchers hope to develop more targeted and effective interventions for individuals at risk of developing Alcohol Use Disorder. The innovative approach may pave the way for more effective treatments by identifying specific mechanisms and triggers related to alcohol dependence and providing objective ways to measure the impact of future interventions.

What were the key elements of the study's experimental setup using the IV alcohol self-administration model?

The study involved young adults aged 19-22 who were heavy episodic drinkers. Participants engaged in a two-hour IV alcohol self-administration session. The key element was an incentive: participants were encouraged to maintain their breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) below 80 mg%. Researchers collected data on participants' subjective experiences, including their craving levels and perceived intoxication, allowing them to examine the relationship between these subjective states and actual alcohol consumption behavior. The researchers measured impaired control by whether the participants surpassed the 80 mg% BrAC limit or not, and by comparing their intended peak BrAC to their actual peak BrAC during the session.