The Link Between Testosterone Levels and High-Risk Behavior Including Alcohol
Disciplines
Neuroscience and Neurobiology | Psychology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Alcohol use in college is widespread and popular. In a national survey, roughly 50% of college students ages 18-22 reported drinking alcohol with approximately 28% of those students reporting they have engaged in binge drinking (National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2021). Moreover, as many as 1500 students die each year from alcohol-related injuries (Hingson et al., 2017). Studies show that functional connectivity is decreased after drinking. Functional connectivity measures how different parts of the brain interact with one another, concluding that if alcohol were to interfere with functional connectivity, then fewer rational decisions are made (Peters et al., 2015). Hormones such as testosterone may have a role in the relationship between drinking and decision-making. The participants of this study are college students enrolled at Kennesaw State University a part of a previous study on emotional dysregulation. Male and female participants took a battery of questionnaires including the AUDIT. Salvia samples were collected, and testosterone levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). We hypothesize that participants high in testosterone will engage in higher risk-taking behaviors including the consumption of alcohol. In future research, the direct relationship between testosterone and risk-taking behaviors from alcohol should be examined.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Psychological Science
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Sharon Pearcey
The Link Between Testosterone Levels and High-Risk Behavior Including Alcohol
Alcohol use in college is widespread and popular. In a national survey, roughly 50% of college students ages 18-22 reported drinking alcohol with approximately 28% of those students reporting they have engaged in binge drinking (National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2021). Moreover, as many as 1500 students die each year from alcohol-related injuries (Hingson et al., 2017). Studies show that functional connectivity is decreased after drinking. Functional connectivity measures how different parts of the brain interact with one another, concluding that if alcohol were to interfere with functional connectivity, then fewer rational decisions are made (Peters et al., 2015). Hormones such as testosterone may have a role in the relationship between drinking and decision-making. The participants of this study are college students enrolled at Kennesaw State University a part of a previous study on emotional dysregulation. Male and female participants took a battery of questionnaires including the AUDIT. Salvia samples were collected, and testosterone levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). We hypothesize that participants high in testosterone will engage in higher risk-taking behaviors including the consumption of alcohol. In future research, the direct relationship between testosterone and risk-taking behaviors from alcohol should be examined.