@article{ref1,
title="Family history of alcohol dependence and gray matter abnormalities in non-alcoholic adults",
journal="World journal of biological psychiatry",
year="2013",
author="Sjoerds, Zsuzsika and Tol, Marie-José Van and Brink, Wim Van Den and Wee, Nic J. A. Van Der and Buchem, Mark A. Van and Aleman, Andre and Penninx, Brenda W. J. H. and Veltman, Dick J.",
volume="14",
number="8",
pages="565-573",
abstract="Objectives. Alcohol-use disorders in adolescents are associated with gray matter (GM) abnormalities suggesting neurotoxicity by alcohol. However, recently similar GM abnormalities were found in non-drinking children with a family history (FH) of alcohol dependence (AD). The question thus rises whether these abnormalities represent a transient delay in brain maturation or a persistent risk factor for developing neuropsychiatric disorders, rather than a (neurotoxic) consequence of AD. This study investigated whether a FH of AD in non-drinking adults is associated with abnormal GM-volumes similar to those observed in drinking and non-drinking adolescents with a FH of AD. Methods. GM-images were analyzed using Voxel-Based Morphometry in non-alcoholics with (FH+; N = 36) and without (FH-; N = 107) familial AD. Additionally we controlled for possible confounders: diagnosis of depression/anxiety, childhood trauma and familial depression/anxiety. Results. Smaller GM-volumes were shown in the right parahippocampal gyrus in FH+ compared with FH-. Results were unaffected by confounders. Conclusions. We demonstrated an effect of familial AD in non-alcoholic adults on GM volume in the parahippocampal gyrus, similar to drinking and non-drinking FH+ adolescents. These findings suggest that GM abnormalities in the parahippocampal gyrus represent a persistent biological susceptibility for AD or related psychopathology and not neurotoxicity of alcohol or delayed brain maturation.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1562-2975",
doi="10.3109/15622975.2011.640942",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/15622975.2011.640942"
}