EEG alpha variants and alpha power in Hispanic American and white non-Hispanic American young adults with a family history of alcohol dependence

Abstract

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.