Drugs of abuse can impair cognitive, emotional and motivational processes. More qEEG and cognitive ERP research is needed to characterize the chronic and residual effects of drugs on attention, emotion, memory, and overall behavioral performance. More research is needed also to relate cognitive functionality measures to clinical outcome (e.g., relapse rate, drug screens, psychiatric status, etc.). Such qEEG/ERP studies may facilitate the translation of clinical neurophysiology research data into routine practical tools for assessment of functional recovery both in alcoholism and addiction treatment clinics. We believe that administration of some of above described qEEG assessments at the pre-treatment baseline might provide useful predictors of clinical outcome and relapse risk. Incorporation of cognitive tests with EEG and ERP (e.g., P300) measures into cognitive-behavioral and neurofeedback based interventions may have significant potential for identifying whether certain qEEG/ERP measures can be used as psychophysiological markers of treatment progress (and/or relapse vulnerability), and also may provide useful information in planning cognitive-behavioral and neurotherapy treatment when substance abuse is comorbid with a mental disorder.
