Effects of MRI abnormalities on WAIS-R performance in solvent abusers.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify how chronic solvent abuse affects cognitive function using magnetic resonance imaging as an index of brain damage.


METHODS
A total of 25 chronic solvent abusers underwent magnetic resonance imaging with quantitative neurometry and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales revised.


RESULTS
The abusers with white matter change (n=10) showed significantly (P<0.05) lower performance IQ, especially in Digit Symbol subtest (P<0.01). Also, the severity of pontine atrophy was significantly correlated with PIQ (r=0.60, P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that solvent abuse causes the decline in the test performance reflecting cognitive and fine motor dysfunction and that white matter changes and pontine atrophy may have some roles in this decline.
Yamanouchi
N
N
Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chuo-ku, Japan.
Okada
S
S
Kodama
K
K
Sakamoto
T
T
Sekine
H
H
Hirai
S
S
Murakami
A
A
Komatsu
N
N
Sato
T
T
D000328:Adult; D001284:Atrophy; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence / Q000187:drug effects; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011149:Pons / Q000473:pathology; D012997:Solvents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D014888:Wechsler Scales
D012997:Solvents