title: Reduced [¹¹C]flumazenil radioligand binding in the thalamus in alcoholics.
abstract: Positron emission tomography (PET) provides in vivo quantitative measurement of radioligand binding to central neuroreceptors. In this report we present the history and PET findings of the thalamic region in two patients with diagnosis of alcohol dependence using the radioligand [¹¹C]flumazenil (Ro 15-1788), a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist. This abnormality in the thalamus may reflect an early alcohol-induced brain lesion or contribute to the development of alcoholism in some subjects.
authors.affiliation: Northern Stockholm Center for Treatment of Drug and Alcohol Dependence, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neiman
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Litton