Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Brain shrinkage in chronic alcoholics: a pathological study.

C G Harper, J J Kril, R L Holloway

    British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Ed.)
    |February 16, 1985
    PubMed
    Summary

    Chronic alcoholism causes significant brain tissue loss, primarily in white matter, not the cerebral cortex. Further research is needed to determine if this is a primary white matter issue or secondary to cortical nerve cell loss.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    Are mutations in MAPT associated with GGT type III?

    Neuropathology and applied neurobiology·2019
    Same author

    Re-investigating the effects of chronic smoking on the pathology of alcohol-related human brain damage.

    Alcohol (Fayetteville, N.Y.)·2018
    Same author

    Response to: Comment on 'Human adult neurogenesis across the ages: An immunohistochemical study'.

    Neuropathology and applied neurobiology·2017
    Same author

    The Differential Effects of Alcohol and Nicotine-Specific Nitrosamine Ketone on White Matter Ultrastructure.

    Alcohol and alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire)·2017
    Same author

    Cortical grey matter volume reduction in people with schizophrenia is associated with neuro-inflammation.

    Translational psychiatry·2016
    Same author

    Human adult neurogenesis across the ages: An immunohistochemical study.

    Neuropathology and applied neurobiology·2016

    Area of Science:

    • Neuropathology
    • Neuroscience
    • Toxicology

    Background:

    • Chronic alcohol abuse is a significant public health concern with known neurological consequences.
    • Previous studies suggest alcohol's detrimental effects on brain structure, but specific regional impacts require further elucidation.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To quantitatively assess brain tissue loss in chronic alcoholics compared to controls.
    • To identify the specific brain regions most affected by chronic alcohol consumption.

    Main Methods:

    • A quantitative neuropathological necropsy study was conducted.
    • 22 chronic alcoholic subjects and 22 control subjects were analyzed.
    • Brain tissue was examined to determine regional volume changes.

    Main Results:

    • A statistically significant loss of brain tissue was observed in the chronic alcoholic group.
    • The tissue loss was predominantly located in the white matter of the cerebral hemispheres.
    • No significant tissue loss was noted in the cerebral cortex.

    Conclusions:

    • Chronic alcoholism leads to significant white matter volume reduction in the brain.
    • The observed white matter loss may stem from primary alterations or secondary degeneration following cortical neuronal loss.
    • Further morphometric analyses, including neuronal counts, are required to differentiate between these possibilities.

    Related Experiment Videos