Reduced EEG alpha power in the male and female offspring of alcoholics.

Abnormalities in resting EEG may be associated with a predisposition to alcoholism. Research also suggests that high levels of negative affect are important mediators of the predisposition to alcoholism in the offspring of alcoholics. This study tested the hypothesis that the offspring of alcoholics show deficits in EEG alpha and excessive EEG beta activity, which, in turn, would be associated with high levels of negative affect. Participants were 37 men and 27 women with a positive family history of alcoholism and 37 men and 29 women with a negative family history of alcoholism. Personal and family history of psychopathology, psychological traits, and resting EEG were each assessed in separate testing sessions. Results indicated that subjects with a family history of alcoholism had reduced relative and absolute alpha power in occipital (O1, O2) and frontal (F3, F4, Fz) regions, and increased relative beta in both regions compared with subjects with a negative family history of alcoholism. EEG alpha and beta activity were not significantly correlated with trait anxiety, a diagnosis of depression, or antisocial traits. The results suggest that deficits in resting EEG alpha are associated with risk for alcoholism, although their etiological significance is unclear.