Alcohol abuse and traumatic brain injury: Effect on event-related potentials

Abstract

Objective: To examine the individual and combined impact that traumatic brain injury (TBI) and heavy social use of alcohol have on electrophysiologic correlates of working memory and evaluation of task-relevant information. Design: Case-control study Setting: University hospital brain injury rehabilitation unit. Participants: Forty male volunteers divided into four groups on the basis of their history of TBI and alcohol intake. Subjects with TBI had experienced a severe closed head injury at least 1 year before testing. Main Outcome Measure: Event-related potentials (ERPs) and neuropsychometric tests. Results: Groups showed no significant differences in average age or neuropsychological test..