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Regional cerebral blood flow in chronic alcoholics measured by single photon emission computerized tomography
Author(s) -
Melgaard B.,
Henriksen L.,
Ahlgren P.,
Danielsen U. T.,
Sørensen H.,
Paulson O. B.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1990.tb01594.x
Subject(s) - cerebral blood flow , single photon emission computed tomography , atrophy , medicine , blood flow , emission computed tomography , positron emission tomography , cognitive impairment , cerebellum , neuroimaging , nuclear medicine , chronic alcoholic , chronic alcoholism , tomography , cardiology , pathology , radiology , psychiatry , disease
Regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured by single photon emission computerized tomography of inhaled 133‐Xe in 20 chronic alcoholic men. Mean CBF was 51 ml/(100 g x min) compared with 53 ml/(100 g x min) in 20 normals. Reduced cerebellar blood flow correlated both to structural abnormalities seen on CT scan and to cognitive dysfunction. Slight abnormalities of the regional CBF was observed in the alcoholics. They had a higher incidence of regional low flow areas than a control group. Low flow areas were found in frontal and posterior parts of the brain not only in patients with atrophia, but also in patients without CT abnormalities, suggesting neuronal dysfunction. The occurrence of regional low flow areas was associated with the severity of alcoholism, cerebral atrophy and intellectual impairment.