Difference in brain densities between chronic alcoholic and normal control patients.

The densities of the brains of 11 chronic alcoholics were compared with those of 11 age-matched normal control subjects. Densities were determined from the density numbers generated by computerized tomography at three levels of the brain-the highest level of the lateral ventricles and the next two higher levels-with adjustments made to control for possible artifacts in the data. The advantage of the dominant hemisphere over the nondominant hemisphere was lessened in alcoholics.