ASSESSMENT OF PREPUBERTAL AND POSTPUBERTAL BOYS AND GIRLS AT RISK FORDEVELOPING ALCOHOLISM WITH P300 FROM A VISUAL-DISCRIMINATION TASK

A total of 86 children (45 male) between the ages of 8-18 who were fro m families that were either at high- or low-risk for developing alcoho lism were evaluated in a visual event-related potential paradigm. The children responded to two target conditions (hard and easy) and a blan k condition by pressing an appropriate button. P300 amplitude was redu ced in prepubescent boys who were at high-risk for developing alcoholi sm. Reaction time data for type of target indicated that, while latenc y was longer for the hard condition compared to the easy one, no signi ficant differences by risk status were found. Performance accuracy did not differ by group status. These behavioral findings suggest that P3 00 amplitude is an electrophysiological marker of alcoholism risk in y oung boys.