IN-VIVO PROTON MAGNETIC-RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY DETECTION OF HUMAN ALCOHOL TOLERANCE

Alcohol tolerance was ascertained with in vivo proton magnetic resonan ce spectroscopy (MRS) in men who regularly consumed either large (10-2 0 drinks/week) or small (2-4 drinks/week) amounts of beverage alcohol. Brain ethanol concentrations were determined by MRS, and blood ethano l levels were measured by gas chromatography after controlled ethanol administration (0.8 g/kg). Brain-blood ethanol concentration ratios fo r heavy drinkers were significantly greater than ratios for occasional drinkers (P < 0.002). Inasmuch as ethanol tolerance covaries with the severity of dependence, MRS procedures may facilitate our understandi ng of alcohol tolerance and treatment of alcoholism.