Importantly, this regression analysis also clarifies our results with respect to our previous study which identified reduced alpha responses in participants with heavy alcohol use compared to a participant group with minimal to no alcohol use34. The current study also found a reduction in alpha responses, but in a comparison of participants with AUD against a non-use disorder comparison. Therefore, given this same alteration is found in both heavy alcohol users and those with AUD, our regression analysis focused on teasing out whether the amount of alcohol use or use disorder symptoms better explain these changes. Ultimately, our results clarify that such a reduction in alpha responses are in fact more closely associated with use disorder severity, rather than quantity of use. This is an important and novel finding which highlights the importance of oscillatory activity in AUD. Further study however is needed to confirm these findings in a larger sample.
