Acute Effects of Alcohol on the Human Brain: Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: DTI can provide information about brain ultrastructure by quantifying water diffusion. Our objective was to assess the value of DTI in detecting the acute effects of alcohol on healthy human brains.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen healthy volunteers were studied with conventional MR imaging and DTI before and 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 hours after the initiation of acute alcohol administration. Two DTI parameters, FA and ADC, were measured in the frontal lobe, internal capsule, external capsule, precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus, thalamus, middle cerebellar peduncle, and brain stem. BrACs were measured at each time point after drinking to estimate BACs.

RESULTS: No abnormalities were found by conventional MR imaging at any time point in all subjects. ADC values of the frontal lobe, thalamus, and middle cerebellar peduncle were significantly reduced, reaching a minimum value at 1 or 2 hours, and FA values of the frontal lobe were significantly increased, reaching a maximal value at 0.5 hour in both doses. BrAC (BAC) was significantly increased to reach a peak at 0.5 hour in both doses and decreased gradually.

CONCLUSIONS: DTI can detect changes in brains after acute alcohol consumption that are not detectable by conventional MR imaging. The frontal lobe, thalamus, and middle cerebellar peduncle are more vulnerable to the effects of acute alcohol consumption. DTI is more effective than BrAC or BAC for the detection of alcohol-induced changes on the human brain.