Abstract

© 2014 Society for the Study of Addiction. The trajectory of regional volume changes during the first year of sustained abstinence in those recovering from an alcohol use disorder is unclear because previous research typically employed only two assessment points. To better understand the trajectory of regional brain volume recovery in treatment-seeking alcohol-dependent individuals, regional brain volumes were measured after 1 week, 1 month and 7.5 months of sustained abstinence via magnetic resonance imaging at 1.5-T. ALC showed significant volume increases in frontal, parietal and occipital gray matter and white matter, total cortical GM and total lobar WM, thalamus and cerebellum, and decreased ventricular volume over 7.5 months of abstinence. Volume increases in regional GM were significantly greater over 1 week to 1 month than from 1 month to 7.5 months of abstinence, indicating a non-linear rate of change in regional GM over 7.5 months. Overall, regional lobar WM showed linear volume increases over 7.5 months. With increasing age, smoking ALC showed lower frontal and total cortical GM volume recovery than non-smoking ALC. Despite significant volume increases, ALC showed smaller GM volumes in all regions, except the frontal cortex, than controls after 7.5 months of abstinence. ALC and controls showed no regional WM volume differences at any assessment point. In non-smoking ALC only, increasing regional GM and WM volumes were related to improving processing speed. Findings may indicate a differential rate of recovery of cell types/cellular components contributing to GM and WM volume during early abstinence, and that GM volume deficits persist after 7.5 months of sustained sobriety in this ALC cohort. Regional brain volume recovery in abstinent alcohol dependent individuals was measured via magnetic resonance imaging. ALC showed significant volume increases in frontal, parietal, and occipital gray matter, and total cortical GM over 7.5-months of abstinence; these volume changes were greater over 1-week to 1-month than from 1-month to 7.5-months of abstinence; only frontal GM recovered to the level of controls. Smoking ALC showed less recovery in frontal and total cortical GM volume with increasing age than non-smoking ALC.