Dysfunctional preparatory processes in hazardous drinkers: An ERP study

Abstract

Alcohol drinking is associated with impaired cognitive and motor performance. This electrophysiological study examined the differences in the preparatory processes preceding motor imagery (visual and kinesthetic) and execution between hazardous drinkers and non-hazardous drinking controls. Twenty-two hazardous drinkers and 22 non-hazardous drinking controls were recruited to participate in the study. They were required to produce a 3-key response sequence physically or mentally 3s after the appearance of a corresponding cue. Here we showed significantly smaller amplitudes of both early and late negative contingent variation in hazardous drinkers compared to controls. In addition, the early negative contingent variation preceding motor execution was greater than those in the motor imagery conditions in both groups. Results of this study suggest impairments of attentional control and motor preparation in hazardous drinkers. Preparatory processes of motor execution and motor imagery mainly differ from each other in voluntary attention orientation, but not in motor preparation.