Altered frontal lobe function suggested by source analysis of event-related potentials in impulsive violent alcoholics

Scalp-recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) are sensitive indicators of subtle alterations in cerebral processes. We assessed automatic auditory ad aptation and detection of novel stimuli in violent and non-violent alcoholi cs and normal subjects. Source analysis of ERPs revealed active medial temp oral and frontal regions in all subjects. Frontal lobe processed alerting t ones in violent alcoholics, whereas non-violent alcoholics and normal subje cts processed them in medial temporal brain areas. Detection of deviant ton es appeared simultaneously in frontal and temporal areas in violent alcohol ics, but sequentially in other groups. These findings imply alterations in arousal and involuntary adaptive processes in cortical networks associated with violent behaviour and alcoholism.