Resumo

SCHEFFER, Morgana  e  ALMEIDA, Rosa Maria Martins de. Alcohol consumption and differences between men and women: impulsive behavior, cognitive and neurochemistry aspects. Neuropsicologia Latinoamericana [online]. 2010, vol.2, n.3, pp. 1-11. ISSN 2075-9479.

This review has the objective to evaluate the evidence that relates cognitive and behavioral impulsivity to drug use in men and women. Its purpose is to describe the characteristics of impulsive behavior, the influence of impulsivity on seeking of alcohol, potential sex differences in this behavioral trait, describing the characteristics of impulsivity in terms of neurocognitive and neurochemical processes. The review is based on searches in BIREME, Pubmed, Web of Science, using the keywords: impulsivity; drugs; men; women; differences; behavior; cognition and deficits, spanning the years 2000 to 2010. Eighty six articles were identified. Overall, the evidence shows that there is a close relation between impulsive behavior and use of alcohol. Furthermore, risk-taking behavior and predispositions to impulsive behavior are associated with drug use in both sexes. In terms of sex differences, imaging studies show that women activate more intensively the pre-frontal cortex and the limbic areas in response to alcohol, being less susceptible to the use of alcohol. The men showed more risk-taking behavior and impulsive aggression, suggesting that they are more vulnerable to seeking alcohol.

Palavras-chave : Inhibition; Alcohol; Gender; Cognition.

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