title: Increased cerebral ventricular volume in monozygotic twins discordant for alcoholism.
abstract: 21 pairs of monozygotic twins discordant for alcoholism and heavy drinking were examined by computerised tomography. Brain and ventricular volumes were calculated by the use of a semiautomated method with the rater blind to twinship and drinking history. 11 severely dependent alcoholics had larger ventricular volumes and ventricle/brain ratios than did their normal cotwins. These changes correlated best with the length of time the alcoholic twin had been drinking eight centilitres pure alcohol, equivalent to a bottle of wine, a day.
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D014695:Cerebral Ventriculography; D004200:Diseases in Twins; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014427:Twins; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic