Some observations on clinical, cognitive and neurophysiological changes in subjects consuming indigenous alcohol.

Sixty-two subjects in age range of 25-50 years consuming more than 300 ml of alcohol daily, and an equal number of age matched non-alcoholic volunteers serving as control were tested. Their clinical and neurological evaluation, including electrophysiology was carried out. Their cognitive functions were measured using the modified WAIS system. In alcoholics there was a significant impairment of cognition, especially in orientation, attention and immediate recall. Their P300 wave was grossly abnormal as compared with the controls. Other electrophysiological investigations (EEG, NCV, EMG, BAER, VER) were normal. It is concluded that cognition may be grossly impaired in chronic alcoholics, which may not manifest clinically but is observed only after formal testing.