Abstinence improves cerebral perfusion and brain volume in alcoholic neurotoxicity without Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.

Twenty severe chronic alcoholic patients with signs of neurotoxicity but without Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome were treated by abstinence from alcohol and examined prospectively at intervals thereafter. Serial examinations included detailed medical histories, neurological examinations, cognitive capacity screening examinations, computed tomography scans with measurements of sulcal and ventricular volume, and measurements of regional CBF. All sedatives were withdrawn before CBF measurements were made. Before treatment, gray matter blood flow values were significantly reduced compared with those of age-matched normal volunteers, but white matter blood flow values were normal and the ventricles were enlarged. After abstinence from alcohol, mean gray matter blood flow values and brain volume both increased significantly.