Abstract
Even though uncomplicated alcoholics may likely have episodic memory deficits, discrepancies exist regarding to the integrity of brain regions that underlie this function in healthy subjects. Possible relationships between episodic memory and 1) brain microstructure assessed by magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), 2) brain volumes assessed by voxel-based morphometry (VBM) were investigated in uncomplicated, detoxified alcoholics.Diffusion and morphometric analyses were performed in 24 alcohol dependent men without neurological or somatic complications and in 24 healthy men. The mean apparent coefficient of diffusion (ADC) and grey matter volumes were measured in the whole brain. Episodic memory performance was assessed using a French version of the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT). Correlation analyses between verbal episodic memory, brain microstructure, and brain volumes were carried out using SPM2 software.In those with alcohol dependence, higher ADC was detected mainly in frontal, temporal and parahippocampal regions, and in the cerebellum. In alcoholics, regions with higher ADC typically also had lower grey matter volume. Low verbal episodic memory performance in alcoholism was associated with higher mean ADC in parahippocampal areas, in frontal cortex and in the left temporal cortex; no correlation was found between regional volumes and episodic memory scores. Regression analyses for the control group were not significant.These findings support the hypothesis that regional microstructural but no macrostructural alteration of the brain might be responsible, at least in part, for episodic memory deficits in alcohol dependence.
Highlights
Episodic memory is a neurocognitive system that enables conscious recollection of personal life events from one’s past and mental projection of anticipated events into one’s subjective future [1]
The groups were similar in mean age, body mass index (BMI), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, and social functioning (Table 1)
We have found clear links between higher ADC in frontal, temporal, hippocampal and parahippocampal regions and lower verbal episodic memory performance, which suggest that higher microscopic water diffusion in these brain regions is associated with degraded memory performance
Summary
Episodic memory is a neurocognitive system that enables conscious recollection of personal life events from one’s past and mental projection of anticipated events into one’s subjective future [1]. Storage and retrieval of personally experiences events. It is widely known that alcoholism may cause deficits in episodic memory. Impairment in episodic memory in alcoholism may be associated with reduction in the ability to learn complex novel information [2]. Such dysfunction makes behavioral change difficult for heavy drinkers and may hamper successful therapeutic intervention. Whereas studies of learning abilities have provided some initial information regarding effects of alcoholism on episodic memory, the specific nature of this impairment (for example encoding vs retrieval processes) has never been clearly determined. The examination of brain regions implicating episodic memory impairment in alcohol dependence could further the understanding of this neurocognitive system alteration in alcoholics
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