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Partially Reversible Cerebral Atrophy and Functional Improvement in Recently Abstinent Alcoholics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

P.L. Carlen ,
D.A. Wilkinson ,
G. Wortzman  and
R. Holgate
P.L. Carlen*
Affiliation:
the Addiction Research Foundation Clinical Institute (Drs. Carlen and Wilkinson), and Department of Medicine & Physiology, Playfair Neuroscience Unit, Toronto Western Hospital (Dr. Carlen), and Departments of Radiology, Mount Sinai Hospital (Dr. Wortzman) and Toronto General Hospital (Dr. Holgate), University of Toronto
D.A. Wilkinson
Affiliation:
the Addiction Research Foundation Clinical Institute (Drs. Carlen and Wilkinson), and Department of Medicine & Physiology, Playfair Neuroscience Unit, Toronto Western Hospital (Dr. Carlen), and Departments of Radiology, Mount Sinai Hospital (Dr. Wortzman) and Toronto General Hospital (Dr. Holgate), University of Toronto
G. Wortzman
Affiliation:
the Addiction Research Foundation Clinical Institute (Drs. Carlen and Wilkinson), and Department of Medicine & Physiology, Playfair Neuroscience Unit, Toronto Western Hospital (Dr. Carlen), and Departments of Radiology, Mount Sinai Hospital (Dr. Wortzman) and Toronto General Hospital (Dr. Holgate), University of Toronto
R. Holgate
Affiliation:
the Addiction Research Foundation Clinical Institute (Drs. Carlen and Wilkinson), and Department of Medicine & Physiology, Playfair Neuroscience Unit, Toronto Western Hospital (Dr. Carlen), and Departments of Radiology, Mount Sinai Hospital (Dr. Wortzman) and Toronto General Hospital (Dr. Holgate), University of Toronto
*
Addiction Research Foundation, Clinical Institute, 33 Russell Street. Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 2S1
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Abstract

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52 recently abstinent chronic alcoholics were given repeated psychological tests and 20 of these had repeated CT scans. The first scan was done within 5 weeks of the last drink. The degree of measurably reversible cerebral atrophy on CT scan correlated negatively with the interval between the last drink and the first CT scan. Significantly more reversibility of cerebral atrophy was noted in those subjects claiming interscan abstinence. There were positive correlations between functional improvement scores on neurological exam and reversible cerebral atrophy measurements. Significant improvement on psychological test performance was restricted to patients tested initially within 3 weeks of the last drink. Both the CT results and the psychological test results suggest that reversible changes occur soon after the cessation of drinking.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 11 , Issue 4 , November 1984 , pp. 441 - 446
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation 1984

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