EEG abnormalities in chronic alcoholism related to age

Abstract

EEG was studied in 50 chronic alcoholics (age 45 +/- 10 years). All EEGs were classified visually. In addition, a manual analysis from a fronto-central (F3-C3 of F4-C4) lead and a temporo-occipital (T5-O1 or T6-O2) lead was done in 42 cases to obtain the mean frequency of the 6-12 Hz band. The visual classification correlated well with the frequency analysis in the anterior (rs = -0.57, P less than 0.001) and in the posterior (rs = 0.61, P less than 0.001) leads and there was a high positive correlation between the frontal and occipital lead (r = 0.88, P less than 0.001). Half of the records were abnormal. There was a significantly higher proportion of abnormal EEGs in the youngest and oldest patient groups compared with the remainder. EEG-abnormality was significantly related to early start of abuse (before 25 years, P less than 0.05). The findings suggest that alcohol abuse in the teens or early twenties is accompanied by a considerably greater risk of brain damage than alcoholism beginning after 25. However, an alternative explanation, i.e. that the EEG abnormality may represent cerebral dysfunction predisposing to alcoholism is not excluded.

Quantitative EEG in Patients With Alcohol‐Related Seizures

“…In contrast to the present results, abnormally slow activity in ARSs has been observed by several authors in early studies using conventional EEG (Johannesson et al., 1982). Abnormality rates seem to depend on age and early onset of abuse (Johannesson et al., 1982; van Sweden, 1983) and the degree of cerebral atrophy (Newman, 1978). Others found no relation to age but rather a correlation with epileptic seizures and psychopathology (Arentsen and Sindrup, 1963).…”

“…Conventional electroencephalography (EEG) is often normal in abstinent or recovered alcoholics (Emmerson et al., 1987), especially in alcoholics without somatic complications, (Arentsen and Sindrup, 1963). However, abnormal records are frequent in patients with complications such as epileptic seizures and delirium tremens (Arentsen and Sindrup, 1963; Johannesson et al., 1982). Abnormal EEGs are most frequent in older alcoholics and patients with an early debut, most likely because of cumulative cerebral damage (Johannesson et al., 1982).…”

“…However, abnormal records are frequent in patients with complications such as epileptic seizures and delirium tremens (Arentsen and Sindrup, 1963; Johannesson et al., 1982). Abnormal EEGs are most frequent in older alcoholics and patients with an early debut, most likely because of cumulative cerebral damage (Johannesson et al., 1982). Authors have found an increase in slow (theta) activity (Pollock et al., 1992; Rangaswamy et al., 2003) or fast (beta) activity (Coger et al., 1978; Costa and Bauer, 1997; Frank et al., 1986; Saletu‐Zyhlarz et al., 2004).…”

Theta Power in the EEG of Alcoholics

“…A qualitative study of resting EEG in chronic alcoholics by Johannesson et al (1982) revealed a higher proportion of abnormal records in the youngest and oldest groups of alcoholics. The EEGs of the alcoholics showed increased diffuse theta and delta waves and medium-voltage spiking.…”

“…Several factors may contribute to the variability, including (a) small sample sizes; (b) characteristics of the population, such as age (Johannesson et al, 1982), psychiatric comorbidity (Bauer and Hesselbrock, 1993), liver disease, nutritional status, and neurological status (Krauss and Neidermeyer, 1991;Spehr and Stemmler, 1985); and (c) differences in the quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis.…”