High-intensity binge drinking is associated with alterations in spontaneous neural oscillations in young adults

Abstract

Heavy episodic alcohol consumption (also termed binge drinking) contributes to a wide range of health and cognitive deficits, but the associated brain-based indices are poorly understood. The current study used electroencephalography (EEG) to examine spontaneous neural oscillations in young adults as a function of quantity, frequency, and the pattern of their alcohol consumption. Sixty-one young adults (23.4 ± 3.4 years of age) were assigned to binge drinking (BD) and light drinking (LD) groups that were equated on gender, race/ethnic identity, age, educational background, and family history of alcoholism. EEG activity was recorded during eyes-open and eyes-closed resting conditions. Each participant's alpha peak frequency (APF) was used to calculate absolute power in individualized theta and alpha frequency bands, with a canonical frequency range used for beta. APF was slower by 0.7 Hz in BD, especially in individuals engaging in high-intensity drinking, but there were no changes in alpha power. BD also exhibited higher frontal theta and beta power than LD. Alpha slowing and increased theta power in BD remained after accounting for depression, anxiety, and personality characteristics, while elevated beta power covaried with sensation seeking. Furthermore, APF slowing and theta power correlated with various measures of alcohol consumption, including binge episodes and blackouts, but not with measures of working and episodic memory, cognitive flexibility, processing speed, or personality variables, suggesting that these physiological changes may be modulated by high-intensity alcohol intake. These results are consistent with studies of alcohol-use disorder (AUD) and support the hypothesis that binge drinking is a transitional stage toward alcohol dependence. The observed thalamocortical dysrhythmia may be indicative of an excitatory-inhibitory imbalance in BD and may potentially serve as an index of the progressive development of AUD, with a goal of informing possible interventions to minimize alcohol's deleterious effects on the brain.

Keywords: Alcohol; Alpha; Alpha peak frequency; Beta; Resting-state EEG; Theta.

Fig. 1

Power Spectra (PS) profiles were averaged across electrode clusters corresponding to frontal, central, and posterior scalp regions. Superimposed are mean absolute PS for the eyes-open (EO) and eyes-closed (EC) conditions for the binge drinking (BD) and light drinking (LD) groups.

Fig. 2

Alpha power and alpha peak frequency (APF) during eyes-closed (EC) and eyes-open (EO) conditions over the posterior scalp in binge (BD) and light drinkers (LD). (A) Alpha power was greater during EC compared to EO but no group differences were observed. (B) Slower APF was found in BDs across both EOC conditions. ***p < 0.001.

Fig. 3

Grand average frontal power spectra are superimposed for binge drinking (BD) and light drinking (LD) groups across eyes-closed (EC) and eyes-open (EO) conditions. Averaged theta band was determined within 3.6 [± 1.1] – 6.6 [± 1.1] Hz, as indicated with darker (average) and lighter [± SD] shaded boxes. Frontal beta was measured within a fixed frequency band of 15-20 Hz. BDs exhibit higher overall theta (θ) and beta (β) power than LDs. Closing the eyes resulted in an enhancement of theta and beta power. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001.

Fig. 4

Grand average posterior power spectra are superimposed for high (HiAlc), moderate (ModAlc), and low alcohol intake (LowAlc) groups, in addition to eyes-closed (EC) and eyes-open (EO) conditions. The effect of group was reflected in a slower APF in HiAlc relative to ModAlc and LowAlc, during both EO and EC. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001.