Cerebral blood flow and its regional distribution in alcoholism and in Korsakoff's psychosis.

Abstract

Regional cerebral blood flow was measured in 60 alcoholics (mean age 45, range 21-65) including 7 with Korsakoff''s psychosis, in otherwise generally good health [using cerebral angiography]. The Korsakoff patients had slightly higher f10 [flow in 1st 10 min] and fg [flowing grey matter] than the other patients. The remaining alcoholics had a lower fg and fw [flow in white matter] when compared with nonalcoholics studied by other investigators. Blood flow showed a successive decrease with age, a fact possibly related to the length of excessive drinking. The regional distribution of flow values was normal, but decreased somewhat more in frontal and temporal regions than in other areas. A reduction of the flow within the white matter was evident but did not correlate with age. Flow changes in alcoholics probably reflect a direct or indirect effect of alcohol on the brain.