Abnormal Pattern of Cerebral Blood Flow Distribution in Young Alcohol Addicts

Summary Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was recorded in 32 young otherwise healthy alcoholics (less than 40years old) by the Xenon 133 method. The duration of the intoxication was less than 10 years in all patients. A psychometric evaluation was also performed (Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale, Benton's visual retention test and Binois Pichot Vocabulary test). A hypofrontal flow distribution was found in all except two subjects. A significant heterogeneity of flow distribution was also found, rCBF was reduced by 20% to 47.1 (right) and 47.4 (left), compared to 57.7 and 60.3 in the control group. There were considerable abnormalities of cognitive functions in alcoholics, but only weak correlation was found between frontal blood flow and Benton's visual retention test.