DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2017.v05i05.055

Pages: 1990-1995

The consumption of alcohol and cigarette smoking is most common and serious problem, worldwide. Apart from various factors such as awakening, age, sex, left v/s right hand practice, number of stimuli, fasting and nutrition, reaction time is also affected by smoking and alcohol consumption. The aim of the present study is to measure and compare Auditory & Visual reaction time between study groups (smoker, alcoholic, smoker with alcoholic) and control group. The present study involves 360 subjects in the age group of 30-60 years, both smoker and alcoholic, recruited from medicine OPD from S.M.S Hospital, Jaipur (Rajasthan). Out of total 360 subjects: - 90 were smoker, 90 were alcoholic, 90 were smoker with alcoholic and 90 were control subjects. Data were statistically analyzed by student’s unpaired t test, one way ANOVAs and post hoc turkey test. Visual reaction time (sec.) for red and green light increased significantly (p < 0.05) in alcoholics and smoker with alcoholics when compared with controls with left hand and with right hand visual reaction time for red and green light increased significantly (p < 0.05) in smoker with alcoholics and smokers. Further, Auditory reaction time (sec.) (for low and high pitch) is highest in smoker with alcoholic group but non-significant, for low pitch with both left and right hand. Alcohol decreases processing of information and both smoking and alcohol consumption affects audio-visual reaction time by several ways.