Spectral-topographic features of EEG in patients with varying rates of alcohol dependence progression

Objective. To compare the spectral-topographic characteristics of the background electroencephalogram (EEG) in patients with alcohol dependence, differing in disease progression rate, as part of a pilot study. Material and methods. A total of 40 male patients with a confirmed diagnosis of alcohol dependence (F10.2 according to ICD-10) were examined. Utilizing a retrospective evaluation of the development of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS), participants were classified into two distinct groups: those exhibiting rapid progression (≤3 years, n=23) and those with slow progression (≥12 years, n=17). Background EEG recordings were obtained using a 16-channel system (10—20 configuration), followed by spectral analysis of absolute power in the theta, alpha-1, alpha-2, beta-1, and beta-2 frequency bands. Results. The analysis revealed that patients with rapid progression demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in the spectral power of the alpha-1 rhythm across all cortical regions (p<0.002 after correction), with the most pronounced effects observed in frontal and central leads. There were also reductions noted in the power of alpha-2, theta (except the parietal region), and beta-1 (limited to the frontal area) frequency bands. Notably, 74% of patients with rapid progression exhibited a low-amplitude («flattened») EEG pattern, whereas 71% in the slow progression group maintained a normal alpha rhythm. Conclusions. The results indicate the presence of a distinct neurophysiological endophenotype associated with the rapid progression of alcohol dependence. Key characteristics of this endophenotype include a overall decrease in the power of the alpha-1 rhythm, particularly in the front-central leads; a decline in theta power (excluding the parietal region); a frontal-specific reduction in beta-1 power; and a significant prevalence of low-amplitude EEG patterns.