This study has employed a time-sensitive multimodal imaging approach to examine the effects of alcohol intoxication on spatio-temporal characteristics of event-related total theta power as a function of the Stroop interference. The main findings can be summarized as follows: 1) The Stroop task elicits event-related theta power in a fronto-parietal network with the primary generator estimated to ACC. 2) Event-related theta power is stronger during conflict trials (i.e. INCONG vs. CONG contrast) under placebo. 3) During the early time window, only the ACC is sensitive to decision conflict, confirming its role in conflict detection. During subsequent processing stages the ACC remains the principal generator of the conflict-related theta power. While alcohol attenuates event-related theta power overall, conflict-related theta is reduced selectively by alcohol in ACC and lateral fronto-parietal regions. 4) In the interval immediately preceding the motor response, the ACC is the only region showing differential theta to conflict, suggesting that it additionally contributes to response control. Alcohol decreases theta in ACC to high-conflict INCONG stimuli during motor preparation which correlates negatively with reaction times. Longer RTs are associated with
