Multifactorial Etiology of Neuropsychological Impairment in Alcoholics

Tarter, Ralph E.; Edwards, Kathleen L.

doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.1986.tb05059.x

Cited by 84 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…Previous studies demonstrated a loss of neurons mainly in the frontal cortex [I, 31, [35]. In fact, only very advanced heavy drinkers with alcoholic dementia reveal a global neuropsychological impairment [4]. Although the subdivision of the cerebrum into different lobes has only limited functional validity [40], difficulties in categorizing and inflexibility of thinking, as assessed by different tools such as the Weigl Color-Form Sorting Test and Trail Making tests, are very consistent with selective frontal lobe dysfunction, especially in the absence of severe global impairment [41-431.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Brain impairment in well‐nourished chronic alcoholics is related to ethanol intake

Nicolás

Estruch

Salamero

et al. 1997

Annals of Neurology

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To determine the influence of chronic ethanol intake on the central nervous system, we studied 40 asymptomatic, well-nourished, chronic alcoholics (mean age, 42.6 +/- 9.1 years) and 20 age-, sex-, and education-matched control subjects. Studies included neuropsychological testing, visual and short-latency auditory evoked potentials, and morphometric analysis of computed tomography scans. The mean daily ethanol consumption of the alcoholics was 204 gm over an average of 26.4 years. Compared to control subjects, chronic alcoholics exhibited a significant prolongation of the P100 latency of visual evoked potentials, and a prolongation and reduction in the amplitude of the latency of the V wave of short-latency auditory evoked potentials. These abnormalities were related to the lifetime dose of ethanol consumed. Brain morphometric analysis showed that alcoholics had a significantly greater degree of brain shrinkage with age, compared to control subjects. The cortical atrophy index correlated significantly with the lifetime ethanol consumption. Neuropsychological testing in alcoholics compared to controls revealed a significant impairment of frontal skills that was related to age, degree of scholarship, and the presence of frontal atrophy. In conclusion, well-nourished chronic alcoholics exhibited significant brain impairment, as demonstrated by neuropsychological testing, evoked potentials, and brain morphometric analysis, which was correlated with the lifetime dose of ethanol consumed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Brain impairment in well‐nourished chronic alcoholics is related to ethanol intake

Nicolás

Estruch

Salamero

et al. 1997

Annals of Neurology

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“…Lack of detected impairment may be more common in non-treatment seeking alcoholics than treatment-seeking ones (Fein and Landman, 2005). Further, studies with larger samples have shown that familial alcoholism, antisocial personality, and physical well-being, all perhaps phenotypes for a more basic genetic trait, as well as age and education, can all predict level of neuropsychological deficits (Grant et al, 1984;Tarter and Edwards, 1986;Parsons, 1987b;Bates et al, 2002;Bates et al, 2005). Our study, however, does not have the power (cf, Bates et al, 2004) to determine whether such variables contributed to the Relapsers' initial superior performance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improvement in memory and static balance with abstinence in alcoholic men and women: Selective relations with change in brain structure

Rosenbloom

Rohlfing

O'Reilly

et al. 2007

Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging

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We investigated whether changes in memory or static balance in chronic alcoholics, occurring with abstinence or relapse, are associated with changes in lateral and fourth ventricular volume. Alcoholics meeting DSM-IV criteria for Alcohol Dependence (n = 15) and non-alcoholic controls (n = 26) were examined twice at a mean interval of two years with standard Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI), Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) tests, an ataxia battery, and structural MRI. At study entry, alcoholics had been abstinent on average for over 4 months and achieved lower scores than controls on WASI General IQ Index, WMS-R General Memory Index, and the ataxia battery. The ten alcoholics who maintained sobriety at retest did not differ at study entry in socio-demographic measures, alcohol use, or WASI and WMS-R summary scores from the five relapsers. At follow-up, abstainers improved more than controls on the WMS-R General Memory Index. Ataxia tended to improve in abstainers relative to controls. Associations were observed between memory and lateral ventricular volume change and between ataxia and fourth ventricular volume change in alcoholics but not in the controls. Both memory and ataxia can improve with sustained sobriety, and brain-behavior associations suggest selective brain structural substrates for the changes observed.

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“…The observed impairments include difficulties with visual-spatial processing, problem solving, memory, and cognitive proficiency (Nixon et al, 1995(Nixon et al, , 1998 .Variability across studies in both the magnitude and the type of neurocognitive deficits observed points to multiple paths to brain and cognitive dysfunction among alcoholic individuals (Adams and Grant, 1986;Tarter and Edwards, 1986), including comorbid psychological and medical conditions secondary to alcoholism. Additionally, abuse of other drugs is common among alcoholic populations and is a factor that is addressed by researchers as it is expected to affect neurocognitive function (Nixon et al, 1998).…”

Section: Longitudinal 1 H Mrsi Studies Over 1 Month Of Abstinence Fromentioning

confidence: 95%

Smoking Comorbidity in Alcoholism: Neurobiological and Neurocognitive Consequences

Meyerhoff

Tizabi

Staley

et al. 2006

Alcoholism Clin & Exp Res

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Considerable research attests to the adverse effects of chronic smoking on cardiac, pulmonary, and vascular function as well as on increased risk for various cancers. However, comparatively little is known about the effects of chronic smoking on brain function. Although smoking rates have decreased in the developed world (they have increased in the developing world), smoking rates have been at a persistently high level in individuals with alcohol use disorders. Despite the high prevalence of comorbid chronic smoking and alcohol dependence, very few studies have addressed the separate and interactive effects that smoking and alcoholic drinking may have on neurobiology and brain function. This symposium, which took place at the annual meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism in Santa Barbara, California, on June 29, 2005, postulates that the neurobiologic and neurocognitive abnormalities commonly described in studies of alcohol-dependent individuals are modulated by concurrent abuse of tobacco products and that brain recovery in abstinent alcoholic individuals is affected by chronic smoking. Four expert speakers and a discussant from different research disciplines focus in this symposium on the description of neurobiological and neurobehavioral effects because of concomitant drinking and smoking. Understanding the potential separate effects and interactions of chronic nicotine/smoking and alcohol consumption promotes a better understanding of specific mechanisms and neurocognitive consequences of brain injury and brain recovery with abstinence. The material presented contributes useful information to ongoing discussions about treatment strategies for these comorbid disorders and valuable educational material that can be used to affect public perception about smoking and perhaps health policy.

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Multifactorial Etiology of Neuropsychological Impairment in Alcoholics

Cited by 84 publications

References 60 publications

Brain impairment in well‐nourished chronic alcoholics is related to ethanol intake

Brain impairment in well‐nourished chronic alcoholics is related to ethanol intake

Improvement in memory and static balance with abstinence in alcoholic men and women: Selective relations with change in brain structure

Smoking Comorbidity in Alcoholism: Neurobiological and Neurocognitive Consequences

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