Reduction of blood flow in cerebral white matter in alcoholics related to hepatic function

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Abstract
Alcoholics (50) with a mean age of 45 yr were examined with the intraarterial 133Xe method for measurement of regional cerebral blood flow and with EEG. The results were related to liver function tests. Reduced white matter blood flow correlated strongly with abnormal liver function tests. The highest correlation was with S-ASAT [serum aspartate aminotransferase]. Only weak correlations were found between gray matter flow, EEG and the liver function tests. The relationship between white matter flow reduction and liver function may have been caused by the intensity of drinking prior to admission and possibly mediated by some still unknown mechanism or a direct effect of alcohol.