Epileptic seizures and cerebral atrophy in alcoholics.

Computed tomography was carried out in two groups of chronic alcoholics diagnosed according to the research diagnostic criteria, one with and the other without epileptic seizures. The sizes of the ventricles and the extracerebral spaces were compared with those of a control group, in order to examine the possible role of cerebral atrophy in precipitating epileptic fits in chronic alcoholics. Although a severe degree of atrophy was demonstrated in both groups, no difference was found between alcoholics with and without seizures. However, by correlating the sizes of different spaces, a more generalized atrophy was found in alcoholics with seizures. Thus, cerebral atrophy in a more generalized form may play a yet undefined role in precipitating epileptic attacks.