EEG alpha variants and alpha power in Hispanic American and white non-Hispanic American young adults with a family history of alcohol dependence.
Results from several studies support associations among variants in electroencephalogram (EEG) alpha voltage, alcohol dependence, ethnic heritage, and a family history of alcohol dependence, although no studies have as yet been conducted in individuals of Hispanic ethnicity. Categorization of EEG, by using spectral analyses, into high-, medium-, and low-voltage alpha, as well as absolute EEG power in alpha and beta frequency ranges, was carried out for Hispanic American (n=108) and white non-Hispanic American (n=269) young adult men and women (age range, 18 to 25 years) who had a family history, but no personal history, of alcohol dependence. Eighteen percent (n=70) of the participants were categorized as having a low-voltage alpha EEG, 16% had high-voltage alpha, and 64% had medium-voltage alpha. In comparison with findings for men, women were found to have higher overall power in the low frequency alpha (7.5-9 Hz) and beta (12-20 Hz, 20-50 Hz) frequency ranges. Hispanic Americans had a lower percentage of individuals in the low-voltage alpha group (9%) and more individuals in the medium-voltage alpha group (73%) compared with findings for white non-Hispanic Americans (low-voltage alpha, 19%; medium-voltage alpha, 62%). Results of the current study confirm the presence of ethnic stratification in EEG alpha variants.
Ehlers
Cindy L
CL
Department of Neuropharmacology, The Scripps Research Institute CVN-14 TSRI, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. cindye@scripps.edu
Phillips
Evelyn
E
Schuckit
Marc A
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D000513:Alpha Rhythm; D001611:Beta Rhythm; D003625:Data Collection; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012306:Risk; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology