Controlling for the between group variance in task prestimulus theta power (which was lower in STAA compared with NAC and LTAA), theta ERS, while still higher in alcoholic groups versus controls, did not differ between STAA and LTAA. Moreover, task prestimulus theta power was not a proxy for baseline theta activity. Thus, the STAA–LTAA group differences in theta ERS is largely attributable to lower task prestimulus theta activity in STAA relative to LTAA, possibly reflecting group differences in task-related attention and working memory-related processes (see below for discussion).
