Just one glass of wine may impair sense of control: Study

Drinking only one pint of beer or a large glass of wine is enough to significantly compromise a person's sense of agency -- the feeling of being in control of actions, according to a study.

The study, published in the journal Addiction Biology, is the first to test the effect of alcohol on sense of agency, an important aspect of human social behaviour which implies knowledge of the consequences of those actions.

Researchers from the University of Sussex in the UK focused on low doses of alcohol, typically consumed during social drinking, that do not produce a large impairment of behaviour.

Until now, research has mostly focused on the loss of inhibitory control produced by obvious drunkenness, characterised by impulsivity, aggression and risky behaviour.

"Our study presents a compelling case that even one pint of beer is enough to significantly compromise a person's sense of agency," Silvana De Pirro, lead author of the research paper, said.

"This has important implications for legal .