Cerebral dysfunction in alcoholism and presenile dementia. A comparison of two groups of patients with similar reduction of the cerebral blood flow.
Fifteen chronic alcoholics and 15 presenile patients were matched in pairs with regard to their mean hemisphere cerebral blood parameters-an index of brain metabolism. The distribution of the regional cerebral blood flow was similar in the two groups. The alcoholics performed significantly better in all psychometric tests than the presenile patients and more alcoholics than presenile patients were still employed and working. Nine presenile patients and one alcoholic showed symptoms indicating brain stem dysfunction. The measurements of the cerebral blood blow were made at rest while the psychometric testings and the evaluation of the social performance gave information about the brain at work. It is suggested that cerebral dysfunction in alcoholics to some extent can be partly overcome by brain activation procedures. In contrast, the defects of higher mental functions in presenile dementia cannot be compensated for.
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D003704:Dementia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests