TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2000//
TI  - Hypoperfusion of inferior frontal brain regions in abstinent alcoholics: a pilot SPECT study
JO  - Journal of studies on alcohol
A1  - Gansler, D. A.
A1  - Harris, G. J.
A1  - Oscar-Berman, M.
A1  - Streeter, C.
A1  - Lewis, R. F.
A1  - Ahmed, I.
A1  - Achong, D.
SP  - 32
EP  - 37
VL  - 61
IS  - 1
N2  - 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>
LA  - en
SN  - 0096-882X
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -