Plasticity of Hippocampal Subfield Volume Cornu Ammonis 2+3 Over the Course of Withdrawal in Patients With Alcohol Dependence

Abstract

The observed normalization of the bilateral hippocampal CA2+3 volume deficit matches animal data, showing a strong increase of hippocampal neurogenesis after cessation of alcohol consumption, and fits the reported increase of patients' cognitive function within a few months of alcohol abstinence. The role of CA3 in pattern separation and completion is also critical for formation of hallucinations, which constitute a severe symptom of the withdrawal syndrome. The study adds further biological arguments from structural brain research to abstain from alcohol.