Article Figures & Data
Figures
- Figure 1.
Alcohol levels in plasma and self-reports for drug effects after placebo (PL) and after alcohol (ALC) for the no-stimulation (NS) and for the video stimulation (VS) conditions in heavy drinkers (HD) and in normal controls (NML). Plasma alcohol concentration did not differ between NML and HD either for NS (A) or VS (B). Alcohol significantly increased self-reports of high and intoxication both for NS (C) and VS (D) but did not increase desire for alcohol. The groups differed only on “Desire for alcohol”, which was significantly higher for HD than NML (C and D, right). Alcohol behavioral effects did not differ between groups.
- Figure 2.
Effects of alcohol on brain glucose metabolism in NMLs and HDs. A, SPM results showing areas where the absolute metabolic measures were significantly reduced by alcohol compared with placebo (PL > ALC) for the NS and the VS in NMLs and HDs at pFWE < 0.005. B, Histogram showing regions where effects of alcohol where greater during NS than VS.
- Figure 3.
Differences in baseline brain glucose metabolism (placebo measures) between NMLs and HDs. A, SPM results showing areas where metabolism was significantly greater for NMLs than HDs (NML > HD) at pFWE < 0.0001. B, Histogram showing brain metabolism in BA 18 and BA 22 for the placebo conditions; these areas also showed greater metabolic values in NMLs than HDs.
- Figure 4.
Effects of VS on brain glucose metabolism (absolute metabolic images) compared with NS during placebo (PL) and alcohol intoxication (ALC). A, SPM results showing areas where metabolism was greater for VS > NS for significance pFWE < 0.05. There were no areas where metabolism was greater for NS than for VS. B, Histograms showing the differences (VS vs NS) in metabolic rates in BA 18 and BA 22, for the combined PL and ALC for NMLs and HDs.
- Figure 5.
Effects of VS on relative metabolic images (normalized to whole-brain metabolism) during placebo (PL) and alcohol intoxication (ALC). A, SPM results showing areas where “relative metabolism” was greater for VS > NS for significance pFWE < 0.05. B, Histograms showing “relative” metabolic values in BA 18 and BA 22, for NMLs and for HDs, during the PL and ALC conditions.
- Figure 6.
Simplified model for the interpretation of our findings. In sobriety, glia and neurons predominantly rely on glucose as energy substrate for metabolism at rest and during stimulation, both through aerobic glycolysis and through oxidative phosphorylation. During alcohol intoxication (acute alcohol), when acetate levels in plasma increase, glial cells increase their reliance on acetate metabolism as energy source to sustain resting activity. In HDs, the reliance of glial cells on acetate to sustain resting activity is enhanced and persists beyond intoxication, which could contribute to their low resting brain glucose metabolic rates during sobriety but also their larger decrements in brain glucose metabolism during intoxication.
Tables
Region BA MNI coordinates, mm PL > ALC (NS) PL > ALC (VS) x y z HD NML HD NML Calcarine 17 −8 −82 0 7.2 3.7 5.6 2.3 Calcarine 17 12 −70 6 7.0 3.4 4.9 2.2 Cerebellum −40 −64 −40 6.8 3.8 4.1 2.6 Cerebellum −22 −78 −36 6.6 3.4 4.0 2.9 Vermis 6 −70 −36 6.6 3.1 4.2 2.4 Superior occipital 18 −20 −90 22 6.3 3.0 4.1 NSb Cerebellum 36 −72 −22 6.1 3.8 5.3 2.2 Fusiform 37 30 −54 −18 6.1 3.3 4.8 2.7 Middle occipital 19 −40 −84 0 6.0 3.1 4.4 1.9 Inferior frontal 44 −48 10 24 5.7 2.5 3.9 1.6 Superior orbitofrontal 11 −18 38 −22 5.6 2.5 4.1 2.2 Middle frontal 47 −38 46 0 5.4 2.2 3.3 1.8 Inferior temporal 20 −52 −10 −26 5.3 2.1 3.8 NSb Inferior temporal 20 64 −44 −14 5.3 3.0 3.7 2.2 Middle cingulum 23 2 −38 34 5.2 2.7 3.5 1.7 Middle occipital 39 48 −74 24 5.2 2.6 3.7 1.9 Middle orbitofrontal 11 30 42 −16 5.2 2.8 4.6 2.0 Inferior frontal 45 52 30 4 5.2 2.6 3.4 2.0 Superior temporal 41 −42 −28 8 5.1 2.0 4.3 NSb Supramarginal 42 −58 −24 18 5.1 1.7 3.3 NSb Superior frontal 10 −24 58 2 5.1 2.0 3.3 1.7 Angular 7 38 −74 40 5.1 2.8 3.5 2.4 Inferior frontal 6 56 10 10 5.1 2.6 2.9 2.1 Superior frontal 10 24 56 14 5.1 2.4 3.2 1.9 Angular 39 −50 −62 24 5.1 2.1 3.8 1.7 Superior temporal 22 52 −24 8 5.1 2.6 3.6 1.9 Inferior temporal 20 58 −30 −24 5.1 3.1 3.5 2.5 Precentral 44 48 6 34 5.0 2.7 3.7 2.0 Superior temporal 42 −54 −42 18 5.0 2.2 3.2 NSb Middle frontal 9 −30 40 36 5.0 NS 2.5 NSb Inferior parietal 3 −52 −26 50 4.7 1.9 2.4 NSb Precentral 6 −36 2 56 4.7 2.0 3.0 NSb Middle cingulum 32 8 36 30 4.5 2.0 2.6 NSb Middle frontal 8 −24 12 56 4.4 1.9 2.9 NSb Precentral 6 38 −8 56 4.3 1.7 2.6 NSb Thalamus 0 14 −18 8 4.3 NS 2.7 NSb Region BA MNI coordinates, mm VS > NS x y z ALC PL Lingual 18 14 −90 −12 4.5 2.3 Inferior occipital 18 −20 −96 −6 4.3 1.8 Superior temporal 22 −58 −20 2 3.0 1.8 Superior temporal 22 60 −12 0 2.7 NSb
