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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- The way a person's brain works may reveal that person's risk of becoming an alcoholic.
Researchers from The University of Western Ontario used an electroencephalogram (EEG) to compare the brain activity of 193 alcoholics and 108 participants who did not have a history of alcoholism.
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The study reveals an imbalance in the activity of the right and left frontal cortex regions of the brain in alcoholics. Alcoholics had lower brain activity in left frontal areas than right frontal areas, compared to non-alcoholics.
Left frontal activity is involved with mood elevation when a desired goal is obtained, explain the researchers in their article. Right frontal activity may be involved in inhibiting behavior that could bring about negative consequences and the anxiety a person would feel in those circumstances.
The researchers report the imbalance may be partially genetically based. A possible future line of study would be to test the brain patterns of children of alcoholics. The authors conclude if the brain activity patterns develop early in life, this may help determine who is at risk for developing alcoholism.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, 2006;30:1-6
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