@article {Dayer551, author = {Charlotte A. Dayer and Scott Baron and Kim E. Light and Galen R. Wenger}, title = {Effects of Ethanol on Working Memory and Attention in Pigeons}, volume = {293}, number = {2}, pages = {551--558}, year = {2000}, publisher = {American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics}, abstract = {To determine whether the effects of ethanol on working memory are mediated by a secondary effect on attention, dose-response curves for ethanol were determined in eight pigeons trained under a titrating matching-to-sample (TMTS) procedure, in eight pigeons trained under a discrete-trial measure of attention, and in eight pigeons trained under a continuous-trial measure of attention. Ethanol decreased accuracy under the TMTS procedure following the three highest doses (1, 1.8, and 3 g/kg). Only the highest dose (3 mg/kg) decreased rates of responding. Attention, as measured under the discrete-trial procedure, was affected only by the two highest doses (1.8 and 3 g/kg). The 3-g/kg dose caused significant decreases in the probability of a hit and probability of a correct rejection, as well as significant increases in the probability of an error of omission and response latencies. Sensitivity to the signal decreased following 1.8 and 3 g/kg ethanol. Under the continuous-trial procedure, ethanol caused a peak in false alarms after the 1.8-g/kg dose, decreased the probability of a hit following the 1.8- and 3-g/kg doses, and increased probability of a miss at all doses. Sensitivity to the signal was not affected. A comparison of the dose-response curves for the TMTS procedure and the two measures of attention revealed that working memory (TMTS) was decreased by a lower dose than that affecting attention. This suggests that the effects of ethanol on working memory are not mediated by the subject{\textquoteright}s ability to pay attention to stimulus changes in the environment. The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics}, issn = {0022-3565}, URL = {https://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/293/2/551}, eprint = {https://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/293/2/551.full.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics} }