a greater extent than are control participants in order to perform the target detection task successfully, a process that may be pronounced in STAA given that their larger theta ERS is concomitant with lower (relative to NAC and LTAA) prestimulus levels of theta activity. Recent studies suggest that prestimulus levels of theta activity reflect a state of “cognitive readiness,” for example, a specific allocation of attention, to perform an upcoming task (Min and Park 2010; Min et al. 2011). Larger theta ERS, then, may reflect a compensatory mechanism for attention and/or working memory dysfunction (reflected in lower prestimulus theta) in STAA. Furthermore, given that LTAA had (1) similar levels of prestimulus theta to controls and (2) a smaller magnitude theta ERS increase, compared with controls, than did STAA, suggests that these cognitive deficits may at least partially recover after extended abstinence. Relatedly, greater theta ERS may reflect the structural and functional neural plasticity associated with the development of, and recovery from, chronic alcohol dependence.
