[Brain bioelectrical activities in heroin addicts during early abstinence period]

Standard 19-channel EEG registration was performed in 30 heroin addicts (mean age 21.7 +/- 2.8 years, daily heroin abusing duration--12.2 +/- 8.0 months, heroin dose per day--0.42 +/- 0.29 g, abstinence duration--12.3 +/- 8.1 days). Qualitative EEG changes, being observed in more than 70% of the cases, included low voltage of background activity with depression of alpha rhythm and increase in beta activity; large amount of low amplitude waves in central regions; low reactivity to stimulation. The patients with daily heroin doses more than 0.5 g demonstrated slowing of alpha rhythm in comparison to those with lower doses (8.9 +/- 0.8 Hz vs 10.3 +/- 2.0 Hz, p < 0.05). In follow-up study, obvious or even complete normalization of the EEG was observed in most of the cases during the first months of abstinence.