Long-term behavioural changes after unilateral stereotactic cingulotomy in a case of therapy-resistant alcohol...

We report the case of a female patient who had undergone a unilateral stereotactical anterior cingulotomy (AC) 20 years previously because of refractory alcohol dependence. After AC, the drinking behaviour switched from a chronic to an episodic one with fast losses of control accompanied by abnormal oral impulse-control behaviour. Relapses were stress- but not cue-induced and followed by long-term intervals of abstinence. In addition to an intended lesion of the left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), MR images showed additional lesions within the left caudate body and the dorsal medial thalamic nucleus. Applying a neuropsychological test battery, we found disturbed divided attention and impaired executive function. From this, we conclude that the complex lesion pattern may contribute to some of the behavioural changes seen in our patient after AC. This hypothesis is supported by the neuropsychological deficits and the fact that the neuronal circuits, impaired by the lesions, are involved in addiction-specific behaviour. This case report further emphasizes the key role of the ACC and its connections in the maintenance of dependent behaviour.