In this regard, it is noteworthy that N2 latency may predict whether a recovering alcoholic will resume drinking. Glenn and colleagues (1993) evaluated alcoholics in a visual oddball task after approximately 1 month of abstinence and again after 1 year. Subjects who resumed drinking within the year manifested longer N2 latencies at initial testing than did those who remained abstinent. Results were not affected by a subject’s family history of alcoholism. Thus, whereas P3 amplitude may predict susceptibility to developing alcoholism (see below), N2 latency may predict susceptibility to relapse (for review, see Porjesz and Begleiter 1993).
