Abstract: Event-related potential (ERP) is a reliable neuroelectric measure of brain activity that helps to confirm the assessment of mental status and cognitive impairment. Many studies have reported that alcoholics show a significantly lower ERP P300 amplitude than the norm. In the present study, ERP P300 waves were measured to evaluate the effect of citric acid on cognitive function during excessive alcohol consumption in healthy adults. Five volunteers were selected through clinical interview, physical examination, and psychiatric assessment for participation in this study. In a double-blind placebo-controlled before-after design, each subject was treated with 5 ml/kg body weight alcohol, 5 ml/kg body weight alcohol and 1 mg citric acid, or a placebo on three separate occasions, one week apart. ERP P300, blood biochemical indicators, blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) and acetaldehyde concentrations were assessed. Repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a within-subjects factor was used to evaluate differences in blood biochemical indicators, BACs, blood acetaldehyde concentrations, and ERP P300 in the three sessions of assessments. Several blood biochemical indicators showed significant differences between treatments, including the levels of cholinesterase (CHE), total bile acid (TBA), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), and glycylproline dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (GPDA). BACs after consumption of alcohol alone or citric acid with alcohol were significantly higher compared to those after placebo treatment (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in blood acetaldehyde concentrations between the treatments. The P300 amplitudes on the frontal (Fz), central (Cz), and parietal (Pz) regions of the scalp after consumption of alcohol were significantly lower than those after consumption of the placebo or citric acid with alcohol (P<0.05), while there were no significant differences between the latter two treatments. The results of this study suggest that citric acid could reduce the decline in ERP P300 amplitude and cognitive ability induced by acute alcohol consumption. It may also affect some blood biochemical indicators, but the specific mechanisms need further research.

Key words: Ethanol, Citric acid, Event-related potential (ERP) P300, Cognitive function, Acetaldehyde

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