Visual P3 in female alcoholics

Background: The P300 (P3) component of the event related potential has been established as a sensitive risk marker of vulnerability to alcoholism. Mos t alcoholism studies have focused on men; recent studies indicate that wome n are equally vulnerable to developing alcoholism. Methods: Visual P3 recorded from 31 electrode positions was evaluated in 44 alcoholic and 60 control women, 24-50 years of age. P3 amplitudes and late ncies of the two groups were statistically compared using Analysis of Varia nce; source localization of surface amplitude values from each group were p lotted using a low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography. Results: The results indicated that alcoholic women had significantly small er P3 amplitudes in the frontal and central regions compared with controls. Source localization showed lowered activation in alcoholic women in right dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex and the ventro-medial fronto-central region s. Conclusions: The results suggest that P3 is an equally sensitive endophenot ypic marker of vulnerability to alcoholism in women. The findings are discu ssed in terms of functional and physiologic significance of the P3 amplitud e in alcoholic women and its relationship to drinking behaviors.