Electroencephalography has shown that the brain activity of alcoholics and nonalcoholics differs in some characteristic ways. These differences are consistent with an imbalance between excitation and inhibition processes in the brains of alcoholics. In our study, the magnitude of EEG power spectra of delta, theta, alpha and beta power was examined to address the relationship between EEG spectral changes and alcohol dependence. A group of 54 male chronic alcoholics were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. We compared this group with 54 age- and gender-matched control subjects from the group of healthy volunteers. The present study is demonstrated statistically significant differences in all frequency spectra of resting EEG between alcohol dependent subjects and healthy volunteers. Alcohol dependent subjects had higher beta power of resting EEG at all scalp location prominently in central regions compared to control subjects. Alcohol dependent subjects manifested lower theta power of resting EEG compared to control male subjects at most electrode locations. The results of present study support existing studies that have reported an increase of beta power spectrum as an endophenotype of genetically determined alcohol dependence.

Key words: alcohol dependence – EEG – quantitative analysis – endophenotype