The most commonly used paradigm to elicit the P3 component of the ERP is the oddball paradigm [140], in which a random sequence of stimuli is presented. The stimuli can be classified into one of two (or more) categories, and the task is to classify the stimuli, either by counting or by pressing a button to members of one category (usually called the ‘target’ stimuli) while ignoring the other category (referred as ‘non-target’ stimuli). The first study to investigate EROs in alcoholism using a visual oddball paradigm was reported by Jones et al. [78] from our laboratory. The authors used a time-frequency signal analysis method called the “S-transform” to decompose the event-related signals in an age-matched sample of control (N=100) and alcoholic male subjects (N=100). The results indicated that the P3 waveform, commonly elicited using infrequent salient stimuli, was primarily composed of frontal theta and posterior delta band powers. Additionally, each ERO band activity contributed unique information to discriminate between the groups. In order to investigate whether these deficits in theta and delta oscillations antecede the development of alcoholism, Rangaswamy
