BJP Mental Health Guidelines from NICE
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

The British Journal of Psychiatry (1970) 116: 185-193. doi: 10.1192/bjp.116.531.185
© 1970 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by SHAW, D. M.
Right arrow Articles by ROBINSON, A. E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by SHAW, D. M.
Right arrow Articles by ROBINSON, A. E.

Electrolyte Content of the Brain in Alcoholism

DAVID MURRAY SHAW PhD., M.R.C.P., D.P.M.1, RICHARD SHORT 1, STUART WHITE 1, FRANCIS E. CAMPS M.D., M.R.C.P., F.C.Path., D.T.M. and H.2, and ANN E. ROBINSON B.Pharm., Ph.D., F.R.I.C.3

1 M.R.C. Neuropsychiatric Research Unit, Carshalton, and West Park Hospital, Epsom, Surrey
2 Professor of Forensic Medicine, The London Hospital Medical College, London, E.1
3 Senior Lecturer, Department of Forensic Medicine, The London Hospital Medical College, London, E.1

Brains from the cadavers of 25 individuals reported to the coroner as having suffered from alcoholism were analysed for sodium, potassium, chloride, DNA and water, and the results were compared with those of a previous study of depressed and control subjects. The depressed individuals and 9 of the alcoholics died by suicide.

The alcoholic group differed from the other two groups in having significantly lower potassium and higher sodium values, and they also had lower chloride values than the control individuals. Water content and the amounts of DNA present were similar to control levels. Expected correlations of sodium and chloride on age were disrupted and there was a negative correlation of chloride on age.

Various explanations for these results were considered. The pattern of observed changes might have been due to:

(1) Differences in mode of death.

(2) Changes in the composition of the CSF/ ECS compartment.

(3) Loss of neurones, with and without replacement by other cells.

(4) Expansion of the cellular compartment and change in its ionic composition with normal concentrations of ions in the extracellular phase.

(5) Shrinkage of the cellular phase.

The first could not be excluded entirely; the second and fifth were the most improbable, but the third might have made a partial contribution to the findings. The fourth explanation was thought to be the one most likely to be correct. Only tentative explanations were justified and the limitations of this type of investigation are emphasized.

Submitted on May 6, 1969




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Arch Gen PsychiatryHome page
H. S. Akiskal and W. T. McKinney Jr.
Overview of Recent Research in Depression: Integration of Ten Conceptual Models Into a Comprehensive Clinical Frame
Arch Gen Psychiatry, March 1, 1975; 32(3): 285 - 305.
[Abstract] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals
Copyright © 1970 The Royal College of Psychiatrists.