Computer-Assisted Self-Administration of Ethanol

• INCLUSION CRITERIA:
• Male and female participants between 21-45 years of age.
• Good health as determined by medical history, physical exam, ECG and lab tests.
• Female participants will have normal menstrual cycles and will be tested during the follicular phase of their cycle (within 10 days of offset of menses) and must have a negative urine pregnancy (hCG) test at the start of each study session. For group 5, due to the number of study visits, female subjects will be tested outside the menses phase of their cycle.
• Group 5 will include 20 subjects who report at least 2 binge drinking episodes in the month prior to the study (a binge episode is definedas consuming at least 4 drinks for females and at least 5 drinks for males during the drinking episode) and 20 subjects who report no binge drinking episodes in the past month.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

• Current or prior history of serious medical illness, including CNS, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, hepatic, renal, endocrine, or reproductive disorders.
• Positive hepatitis or HIV test at screening.
• Current history of Axis-I psychiatric illness.
• Current or lifetime diagnosis of alcohol or substance dependence.
• Currently seeking treatment for alcohol use disorders.
• History of significant withdrawal symptoms or presence of clinically significant withdrawal symptoms (Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment (CIWA) score > 8) at screening.
• Non-drinkers (alcohol-naive individuals or current abstainers) or no experience drinking 5 or more drinks on one occasion.
• Regular tobacco users will be excluded from the study in order to avoid nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Occasional use of tobacco products (up to 20 cigarettes/week) is acceptable. For groups 3 and 4, participants must be current non-smokers (past smokers who have quit for over 1 year can be included).
• Positive result on urine drug screen or positive breathalyzer during screening visit or at the start of any study visit.
• Pregnancy or intention to become pregnant for women. Female participants will undergo a urine beta-hCG test to ensure they are not pregnant.
• Use of prescription or OTC medications known to interact with alcohol within 2 weeks of the study. These include, but may not be limited to: isosorbide, nitroglycerine, benzodiazepines, warfarin, anti-depressants such as amitriptyline, clomipramine and nefazodone, anti-diabetes medications such as glyburide, metformin and tolbutamide, H2-antagonists for heartburn such as cimetidine and ranitidine, muscle relaxants, anti-epileptics including phenytoin and phenobarbital codeine, and narcotics including darvocet, percocet and hydrocodone. Drugs known to inhibit or induce enzymes that metabolize alcohol should not be used for 4 weeks prior to the study. These include chlorzoxazone, isoniazid, metronidazole and disulfiram. Cough-and-cold preparations which contain anti-histamines, pain medicines and anti-inflammatories such as aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, celecoxib and naproxen, should be withheld for at least 72 hours prior to each study session.
• Current or prior history of alcohol-induced flushing reactions.