In summary, studies of EROs during visual oddball, Go/NoGo, and gambling paradigms indicate that delta, theta, and gamma power is reduced in alcoholics. As these findings are also obtained in offspring at high risk, it suggests that these ERO differences antecede the development of alcoholism. Hence, not only is the traditional finding of P3 amplitude reduced in alcoholics and subjects at risk, but the underlying delta and theta oscillations are also reduced. Animal studies utilizing high and low alcohol preferring model appear to confirm these findings in alcoholic human subjects and their offspring. As will be seen in the next section, these ERO markers of risk provide excellent endophenotypes that have been successfully implemented in genetic studies.
