Impact of mental resilience and perceived immune functioning on the severity of alcohol hangover

• Published in: BMC research notes Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 526
• Main Authors: van de Loo, Aurora J A E, van Schrojenstein Lantman, Marith, Mackus, Marlou, Scholey, Andrew, Verster, Joris C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 31.07.2018; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adolescent; Adult; Alcohol; Alcohol Drinking; Alcoholic beverages; Alcoholic Intoxication; Bias; Biomarkers; Blood Alcohol Content; Drug abuse; Female; Hangover; Hangovers; Humans; Hypotheses; Immune status; Immunity; Male; Mental resilience; Pathology; Perceived immune functioning; Perception; Physiological aspects; Psychobiology; Recall; Research Note; Self Concept; Self report; Severity; Students; Surveys; Surveys and Questionnaires; Women; Young Adult; Perceived immune functioning; Alcohol; Severity; Hangover; Mental resilience
• ISSN: 1756-0500; 1756-0500
• DOI: 10.1186/s13104-018-3659-0

Recent research comparing hangover sensitive drinkers with hangover resistant drinkers has revealed that experiencing alcohol hangovers is associated with significantly poorer self-reported immune functioning (p < 0.0001). No significant difference between the groups was found on mental resilience. The objective of the current survey was to examine the association between hangover severity, perceived immune status, and mental resilience. N = 341 Dutch students, all hangover sensitive drinkers, completed an online survey. The Brief Resilience Scale was completed, and perceived immune functioning and overall hangover severity for their latest past month hangover were assessed. Students consumed a mean (SD) of 12.3 (5.9) alcoholic drinks the evening before their latest hangover. A significant positive association was found between mental resilience and perceived immune functioning (r = 0.372, p = 0.000). No significant associations of hangover severity were found with mental resilience (r = - 0.010, p = 0.858), or perceived immune functioning (r = - 0.025, p = 0.645). Previous research revealed that hangover resistant and hangover sensitive drinkers report having significantly different levels of immune functioning, and that the immune system is involved in the development of alcohol hangover. These findings suggest that levels of mental resilience and perceived immune functioning are not related to the severity of hangovers in hangover sensitive drinkers.