Eight-Year Longitudinal Follow-up Clinical Outcome in Children from Alcoholism Families of P300 and High-Risk for

The possibility that the P300 component of the event-related potential (ERP) may have etiological significance for alcoholism has been discussed for over a decade now (Pfefferbaum et al 1979; Hill et al 1986). A number of cross-sectional studies (Begleiter et al 1984; Hill et al 1990; Whipple et al 1991) have demonstrated decrements in the amplitude of P300 in high-risk children. Only one study followed children (4 years) to determine behavioral outcome (Berman et al 1993), although reassessment of P300 was not done. Based on a self-report questionnaire, those with the lowest P300 amplitude at baseline were more likely to be involved with substances 4 years later. Because of the high density of alcoholism in our families, we expected that a high proportion of the children whom we have been following might develop alcoholism at an early age. In fact, our sampling strategy has enabled us to study a severe form with early onset that emerges in spite of a favorable environment (Hill 1992). These children provide an opportunity to evaluate P300 as a predictor of substance abuse.