title: Quantitative electroencephalographic differences associated with alcohol, cocaine, heroin and dual-substance dependence.
abstract: Resting electroencephalographic (EEG) activity was evaluated in 88 drug-dependent inpatients, abstinent 1-6 months, and 14 non-drug-dependent controls. The patients were assigned to one of four groups using DSM-III-R criteria: alcohol-dependent (n = 12), cocaine-dependent (n = 21), heroin-dependent (n = 19), or dual alcohol- and cocaine-dependent (n = 36). The analysis revealed significant differences between the five subject groups in high- and low-frequency beta power, but not in other frequency bands. Beta power was significantly greater in the alcohol-dependent and cocaine-dependent groups relative to non-drug-dependent controls. These group differences did not correlate with quantity/frequency measures of alcohol or cocaine use, family history, personality, mood, or demographic characteristics. The similar increases in EEG beta found in alcohol- and cocaine-dependent patients do not suggest a direct drug effect. Rather, they suggest the existence of a common premorbid variable or a complex interaction between alcohol/drug use and other variables.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington 06030-2103, USA. costa@psychiatry.uchc.edu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bauer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001611:Beta Rhythm; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D003042:Cocaine; D015897:Comorbidity; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation
chemical_list: D003042:Cocaine