Department of Psychiatry University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, U.S.A.
Abstract:
1. 1. Behavioral and EEG responses were examined in nonalcoholic males with (FH+) and without (FH-) a family history of alcoholism following the consumption of a placebo and real beer.
2. 2. FH+ subjects were less confident of being able to resist another drink following consumption of the placebo and reported higher taste ratings and feeling more intoxicated
following ethanol consumption than FH- subjects.
3. 3. Both groups showed increases in EEG alpha activity (9–12Hz) following alcohol consumption.4. Alpha activity was positively associated with desire to drink in the FH+ group before and after consumption, but was positively associated with perceived intoxication in the FH- group only after consumption.
Author Keywords: children of alcoholics; familial alcoholism; genetic risk; response to alcohol