Combined effects of methanol and ethanol on event-related potentials in non alcohol dependent men

The effects of consumption of the beverage got by distillation of Elaeis quineensis on brain functions were investigated in ten healthy, non-alcoholic men. Each subject ingested 979 mg ethanol and 21 mg methanol/kg body weight. N1, P2 and P3 components of the event-related potentials (ERP's) were recorded during a go/no go task before, 60 and 240 min. after alcohol ingestion. Subjects were presented paired auditory stimuli--standard (60%) and target stimuli in a random order and were asked to detect and signal the target unconditional stimulus by pressing a push button. In the trials 60 min. after alcohol P3 was smaller than control, both N1 and P2 were flatter 240 min. after dosing, whereas P3 amplitude was not changed then. The results are consistent with ERP's changes in chronic alcoholics and suggest that a low dose of methyl alcohol may increase ethanol effects in non alcohol-dependent man.