title: Cognitive impairment and central motor conduction time in chronic alcoholics.
abstract: The non-invasive technique of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used in 62 chronic alcoholics to assess the functional status of descending motor pathways. The main aims of this study were: to investigate asymptomatic upper motor neuron dysfunction in alcoholics as well as to assess its relationship with parameters reflecting the intensity of exposure to alcohol; and to evaluate a possible relationship between central motor conduction time (CMCT) prolongation and neuropsychological measures of alcohol-related brain damage. Compared to control subjects, chronic alcoholics exhibited a significant prolongation of CMCT (23 out of 62 subjects). No significant correlation was found between CMCT prolongation and intensity and duration of abuse, presence of peripheral neuropathy, or brain atrophy on CT scans. Prolongation of CMCT from the upper limb correlated significantly with impairment of frontal skills on neuropsychological testing (p<0.01). These findings suggest that TMS may be a sensitive method for the detection in alcoholics of subtle neurological dysfunction, not confined to motor pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurology and Rehabilitation and IRCCS C. Mondino Institute of Neurology, Pavia, Italy. sabrina.ravaglia@tin.it
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ravaglia
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Ratti
authors.forename: Faustino
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Savoldi
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bo
authors.forename: Arrigo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moglia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001284:Atrophy / Q000473:pathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D055590:Electromagnetic Phenomena / Q000295:instrumentation; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed