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

Fifty alcoholics with mean age of 45 years were examined with the intra-arterial 133Xenon 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. Only weak correlations were found between gray matter flow, EEG and the liver function tests. It is suggested that the relationship between white matter flow reduction and liver function may be caused by the intensity of drinking prior to admission and possibly mediated by some still unknown hepatic mechanism or a direct effect of alcohol.