Correlation between inhibition, working memory and delimited frontal area blood flow measured by Tc-99m-bicisate spect in alcohol-dependent patients

Recently detoxified non-neurological alcoholic patients appear to be impair ed in cognitive tasks measuring inhibitory processes as well as working mem ory (involving storage and manipulation of information). The aim of this st udy was to investigate in alcoholic participants the relationship between t hese two Cognitive functions and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) studie d at rest in regions of interest selected on the basis of recent PET studie s which explored inhibitory and working memory in normal subjects. Twenty n on-neurological alcoholic patients and 20 normal volunteers were selected f or a neuropsychological. exploration, including assessment of inhibition pr ocesses (by means of the Hayling test) and working memory (by means of the Alpha-span task). rCBF of alcoholics was also evaluated with a semi-quantit ative method using a Tc-99m-Bicisate single photon emission computed tomogr aphy (SPECT) procedure. Alcoholic patients performed worse than controls in the alphabetical condition of the Alpha-span task (involving manipulation and storage of information), and on the Hayling test. Significant correlati on emerged between inhibition performance and both the bilateral inferior ( left BA 47, r = -0.40; right BA 47, r = -0.599) and median frontal gyros (l eft BA 10, r = -0.55; right BA 10, r = -0.59), but not with the region of r eference (occipital/cerebellum, r = -0.13). Coordination of storage and man ipulation was correlated with bilateral median frontal (left BA 10/46, r = -0.50; right BA 10/46, r = -0.45), but not with bilateral parietal area (le ft BA 7, r = -0.12, right BA 7, r = -0.18). These results suggest a relatio nship between inhibition and working memory deficits in alcoholic patients, and regional rCBF measured in frontal areas. Clinical implications of thes e data related to alcohol relapse are discussed.