Structural alterations of the brain in patients with chronic alcoholism

The brain was studied in 14 healthy persons and in 23 patients with symptoms of alcoholism. Sclerosis and hyalinosis of the vessels and dystrophic, atrophic and hypertrophic neurocyte changes were found in the brain of patients as well as calcium petrificates, cysts, foci of demyelinisation and diffuse microgliosis of cerebral tissue. The share of neural cells was less due to their atrophy and death while glial component share was increased.