The current binge-drinking literature varies widely on the nature of the individual studies and definitions used to categorize alcohol consumption. Interpreting the results of these studies, therefore, requires a perspective that includes comparative awareness of sample characteristics, binge-drinking definition, and the control/nonbinge-drinking group inclusion criteria. Important too is to maintain the distinction between human and animal studies, as the former are typically much less specific than the later with respect to the neurophysiological underpinnings of binge-drinking effects. However, an overview of the general findings helps provide a fundamental grounding in what is known about binge-drinking outcomes at different levels of effect.
