A low-voltage a resting EEG trait has also been previously associated with alcoholism and anxiety disorders.51 Alpha (8-13 Hz) represents the EEG waveform that predominates in an individual who is awake and alert, while relaxed.51 Typically, α oscillations will greatly diminish or disappear during periods of high arousal. Individuals with the low-voltage α resting EEG trait appear to have an atypical EEG characterized by few or no α oscillations, resembling an EEG of increased arousal. Alcoholics tend to have low-amplitude α.52 However, high-voltage α has also been suggested as a potential risk factor for alcohol dependence. In two different studies, men with alcoholic fathers were more likely to have high-voltage α than men with no alcoholic relatives.53-55 This finding has also been observed in a sample of women at high risk for alcoholism.56 Taken together, these studies suggest that subjects at high risk for the development of alcoholism may be characterized by an atypical variation of α.
