THE ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM AFTER ALCOHOL ADMINISTRATION IN HIGH-RISK MEN AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALCOHOL-USE DISORDERS 10 YEARS LATER - PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

Background: In 1979 through 1980, electroencephalographic (EEG) respon ses to an alcohol challenge in 19-year-old sons of alcoholics as well as in sons of nonalcoholic control subjects were examined. The familia l risk status of the subjects and greater EEG sensitivity to alcohol w ere hypothesized to predict the development of alcoholism 10 years lat er. Methods: In 1990 through 1992, diagnostic interviews were complete d to ascertain alcohol and other substance use disorders in these subj ects and to update their family history. Results: Updated family histo ry of alcoholism predicted the development of substance dependence. De nsity of alcoholic relatives (the number of alcoholic relatives divide d by the number of known relatives) was positively related to the seve rity of alcohol use disorders in the probands. Contrary to expectation , a greater EEC response at age 19 years was not related to the later development of alcohol dependence. Instead, the opposite was observed: a smaller EEG alpha frequency response to alcohol at age 19 years was related to the development of alcohol dependence and high quantity an d frequency of alcohol consumption 10 years later. Conclusions: Lower EEG response to a small dose of alcohol may be associated with the lat er development of alcohol dependence. This result is based on a small number of subjects and should be interpreted with caution. Although th is result is opposite to our 1980 hypothesis, it is consistent with mu ch of the recent literature.