An atypical neurocognitive profile in alcoholic fathers and their sons.

Abstract

Prepubescent boys and their recovering alcoholic fathers exhibited an Atypical Neurocognitive Profile consisting of (1) a reduction in amplitude of the late positive complex (LPC) of the event-related potential (ERP) during a complex visual discrimination task, and (2) reduced visuoperceptual performance evidenced by significantly lower scores on the Object Assembly, Block Design and Picture Completion subtests of the WISC-R and the Embedded Figures Test. Low LPC amplitudes were significantly correlated with poorer visuoperceptual performance. This Atypical Neurocognitive Profile may represent a marker for alcoholism.