A STUDY OF EVENT-RELATED POTENTIAL - P3 CHARACTERISTICS IN CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLICS

Auditory P3 characteristics were studied in children (aged 8-14 years) of male alcoholics without psychiatric problems and children of norma l parents employing an oddball auditory paradigm. All the children of alcoholics were from families with multiple cases of alcoholism (each child had an average of 4.3 first- and second-degree relatives includi ng the father, meeting criteria for alcoholism). Subjects were present ed with high and low pitched tones with global probabilities of 25% an d 75% of total trials, respectively. The amplitude of P3 component was significantly reduced in high-risk children (p < 0.001). Implications of the findings, including the role of P3 as biological marker of ris k for alcoholism, are discussed.