Effects of alcohol on neurocognitive functions and brain

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate changes of neuropsychological functioning, hippocampal and ventricular volume during early abstinence of alcohol in comparison to healthy controls. To investigate the relationship of neuropsychological assessments with hippocampal and ventriculer volumes is also aimed.Method: Eighteen male right-handed alcohol dependent patients were tested at intake (in the first week of detoxification) and after eight weeks of a abstinence. Hippocampal and ventricular volumes were assessed using magnetic resonance imaging at intake and eight weeks after detoxification within ± three days of neuropsychological testing. 18 age and education-wise matched, right-handed male healthy controls were conducted neuropsychological tests and magnetic resonance brain imaging once. For neuropsychological functioning executive functions, verbal/non-verbal memory, verbal fluency, working memory, attention, upper limb motor function and visuo-spatial abilities were assessed.Results: At baseline alcohol dependent patients had smaller hippocampal volumes and larger ventricular volumes than healthy controls. They had also impairments in executive functions, immediate and delayed verbal/non-verbal memory, verbal fluency, visuo-spatial functions, upper limb motor function and attention. At follow up there was a significant increase in hipocampal volumes and decrease in ventricular size in alcohol dependent patients. Except the executive functions, semantic part of verbal fluency and upper limb motor functions there was a significant improvement in all other neuropsychological functions. No relationship were found between neurocogvitive functions and hippocampal or ventricular volumes.Conclusion: The results of this study indicate a substantial improvement both in brain structure and neurocognitive functions in alcohol dependent patients during early weeks of abstinence. But some of the brain functions and regions remain impared despite abstinence. Understanding the mechanisms underlying of this partial recovery may help to create a model of brain regeneration in order to develope new and more effective treatment strategies for alcohol dependence.