Clin Neurophysiol. 2021 Mar 26:S1388-2457(21)00464-8. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.02.389. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study investigates neurophysiological correlates of general and alcohol-specific inhibitory control in patients with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), focusing on its association with individual craving levels and with relapse at three-month follow-up.
METHODS: 59 abstinent AUD patients and 20 healthy controls performed a Go/NoGo task incorporating alcohol-related and neutral stimuli during 64-channel electroencephalography (EEG) recording, yielding four event-related potentials (ERP) per participant (NoGo-Alcohol, Go-Alcohol, NoGo-Neutral, Go-Neutral). Whole-scalp randomization-based statistics assessed effects of the factors group (patients/controls or relapsers/abstainers), craving level, response type (NoGo/Go) and picture type (alcohol/neutral) on topography and signal strength of the ERP components N2 and P3.
RESULTS: No differences on group level were observed between patients and controls. However, analyses incorporating individual craving indicated that the topographic difference between alcohol-related and neutral NoGo-N2 components increased with craving. Moreover, topographic differences in the alcohol-related and neutral NoGo-P3 component allowed for differentiation between relapsers and abstainers.
CONCLUSIONS: In alcohol-related contexts, the response inhibition conflict reflected in the NoGo-N2 seems enhanced in patients with high craving. The inhibition-sensitive NoGo-P3 varies in relapsers but not in abstainers between neutral and alcohol-related contexts.
SIGNIFICANCE: In AUD patients, neurophysiological correlates of inhibition vary with alcohol-related contexts and craving, and might be indicative of relapse risk.
PMID:33867254 | DOI:10.1016/j.clinph.2021.02.389
