@article{ref1,
title="Hypoperfusion of inferior frontal brain regions in abstinent alcoholics: a pilot SPECT study",
journal="Journal of studies on alcohol",
year="2000",
author="Gansler, D. A. and Harris, G. J. and Oscar-Berman, M. and Streeter, C. and Lewis, R. F. and Ahmed, I. and Achong, D.",
volume="61",
number="1",
pages="32-37",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: This pilot study evaluated hypotheses concerning the relationship between cerebral hypoperfusion and residual deficits in the functioning of frontal brain systems in abstinent long-term alcoholics. METHOD: The participants (N = 22) were 10 healthy, abstinent alcoholics (9 men) and 12 age-equivalent nonalcoholic controls (10 men). Cerebral blood flow was observed through the use of regionally specific computer-derived quantitative analysis of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) perfusion images. Measures of alcohol use, abstinence and neuropsychological functioning were also obtained to relate to SPECT findings. RESULTS: A positive relationship was observed between perfusion levels in the left inferior frontal brain region and years of sobriety. Alcoholics with less than 4 years of sobriety had significantly reduced left inferior frontal perfusion compared with both nonalcoholic controls and alcoholics having longer periods of sobriety. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the hypothesis that frontal brain abnormalities in alcoholics may subside with extended abstinence.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0096-882X",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}