[Changes in the spectral power of the EEG in alcoholics during presentation of stimuli of different semantic modality].

Using bipolar registration of the EEG from two symmetrical temporal leads in 50 alcoholic patients and 20 normal subjects, the authors examined changes in the spectral power (SP) of the EEG in a range of 0.5-32 Hz in response to the presentation of 6 series of visual stimuli different by semantic modality. It was found that stimuli of an alcoholic nature induced in the patients the maximum increase in SP parameters and led to a change in the SP-dominant hemisphere. In contrast, the controls showed augmentation of SP in response to stimuli of food and sex modality without changes in lateralization. A conclusion is drawn about the dependence of SP parameters on the hierarchy of the individual requirements. From the standpoint of concepts about the pathological development of the personality, the authors analyze the qualitative features of EEG responses in alcoholics toward specific stimuli.