COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT IN CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLICS

Excessive alcohol consumption can be associated with cognitive impairm ent not only in drinkers but also in their offspring. Studies of child ren of alcoholics (COA's), and particularly of sons of male alcoholics (SOMA's), have identified a characteristic cognitive profile, COA's f requently have deficits in verbal skills, classification of verbal and visual stimuli, abstract thinking, and goal-directed planning, SOMA's show additional deficits in visuospatial abilities, perceptual motor skills, and learning and memory. A model is described that explains ho w the observed cognitive deficits may contribute to the behavioral pro blems frequently observed in COA's and to their risk of becoming alcoh olic themselves. However, only some, but not all, COA's exhibit a cogn itive profile predictive of behavioral problems.