Cerebral blood flow and cerebrovascular response to acetazolamide in patients with chronic alcoholism

• Published in: Journal of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry Vol. 63; no. 1; pp. 100 - 102
• Main Authors: Oishi, M, Mochizuki, Y, Takasu, T
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01.07.1997; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Group
• Subjects: acetazolamide; Acetazolamide - pharmacology; Alcoholism; Alcoholism - diagnosis; Alcoholism - metabolism; Alcoholism - physiopathology; Alcoholism and acute alcohol poisoning; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - metabolism; cerebral blood flow; Cerebral Cortex - blood supply; Cerebrovascular Circulation - drug effects; Cerebrovascular Circulation - physiology; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolism; Middle Aged; Putamen - blood supply; Regional Blood Flow - drug effects; Short Report; Thalamus - blood supply; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Toxicology; Xenon Radioisotopes; Japan; Human; Regional blood flow; Radiodiagnosis; Enzyme; Pathogenesis; Alcoholism; Xenon; Acetazolamide; Enzyme inhibitor; Lyases; Chemotherapy; Chronic; Medical imagery; Carbonate dehydratase; Computerized axial tomography; Hemodynamics; Biological effect; Carbon-oxygen lyases; Hydro-lyases; Brain (vertebrata)
• ISSN: 0022-3050; 1468-330X
• DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.63.1.100

Cerebral blood flow and cerebrovascular response to acetazolamide were studied in 12 patients with chronic alcoholism and 12 age matched healthy controls. Blood flows in the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and putamen were significantly lower in the chronic alcoholic group than in the healthy control group. The increase in blood flow caused by acetazolamide did not show any significant difference between the two groups. These findings suggest that the decreased cerebral blood flow in chronic alcoholism is due to decreased cerebral metabolism.