Neurophysiological and neurocognitive assessments of binge drinking are demonstrating promise in specifying biological differences between bingers and controls. The biphasic alcohol response exhibited by young binge drinkers and the associated neuropsychological impairments found for frontal lobe processing provide clues to the origins of binge drinking. Preliminary findings suggest working memory deficits in binge drinkers, but whether these are long-term or abate after withdrawal is unknown. Although difficult to execute, longitudinal studies of adolescent binge drinking could establish whether and how future alcohol dependence and abuse originates from this pattern of alcohol consumption while controlling for family history. Addressing these issues with a quantifiable and consistent binge-drinking definition would encourage comparisons among studies and increase their societal impact.
