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Alcoholism and dementia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

W.A. van Gool
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Summary

The controversy concerning the concept ‘alcoholic dementia’ is reviewed in brief. Evidence from neuroradiological and neuropathological studies contribute little to the solution of this controversy, if dementia is considered as a clinical syndrome. From clinical descriptions it can be concluded that a sub-population of alcoholics suffers from a syndrome typified by psychologic disturbances other than amnesia alone. These patients fulfill the criteria for the syndromal diagnosis of ‘dementia’.

The nosologic concept of ‘alcoholic dementia’ implies a direct neurotoxic effect of alcohol and it raises questions concerning pathogenetic mechanisms which can not be answered. The DSM-III-R category ‘dementia associated with alcoholism’ represents a solution for this controversy, because it gives a correct and complete (radically syndromal) clinical description without making assumptions on the relative contribution of multiple factors causing cognitive disturbances in alcoholics.

Keywords

alcoholalcoholismdementiaalcoholalcoholismedementie
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 3 , Issue 2 , June 1991 , pp. 26 - 29
Copyright
Copyright © Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology 1991

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References

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