Neurophysiological correlates of alcohol-specific inhibition in alcohol use disorder and its association with craving and relapse

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. (c) 2021 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study investigated neurophysiological correlates of inhibitory control in patients with Alcohol Use Disorder, finding that the response inhibition conflict may be enhanced in alcohol-related contexts and individuals can be differentiated between relapsers and abstainers based on specific ERP components.