[Alcoholic lesions of the brain]

Brains of 117 alcoholics admitted in the state of alcoholic coma or abstinence syndrome with an increase of blood pressure or development of acute psychosis were studied. The changes in the human brain were compared with those occurring in the brains of 30 rats with chronic alcoholic intoxication and formation of withdrawal syndrome. It is shown that in alcoholic coma and different manifestations of abstinence syndrome vascular and cellular changes take place, that can be attributed to the action of ethanol or its metabolites, as well as catecholamines. In the brain of the animals studied the same cellular and vascular changes were found as in the mentioned alcohol-induced manifestations in man. Progression of cephalic changes due to withdrawal syndrome is associated with more marked structural changes of the hemato-encephalic barrier.