A study by Berman and colleagues (1993) suggests that P3 amplitude in prepubescent boys may predict later alcohol or other drug (AOD) abuse in adolescence. Four years after initial ERP testing, adolescents were administered a questionnaire dealing with AOD use. Subjects exhibiting the lowest P3 amplitudes at initial testing had the highest AOD use scores in adolescence. These findings provide strong evidence that P3 amplitude in prepubescent boys may serve as a vulnerability marker for the development of later AOD use disorders.5
