FIGURE 9.7 • Alcohol Use Disorder: Effects on the Brain One of the effects of long-term alcohol use disorder—alcoholism—is enlarged ventricles (the cavities in the brain filled with cerebrospinal fluid). (a) The ventricles in this MRI scan are normal size; (b) the enlarged ventricles in this MRI scan are those of a man with alcohol use disorder. The enlargement of the ventricles reflects the reduced size of a number of brain areas. These neurological changes may explain some of the memory problems associated with alcohol use disorder.

Source: Rosenbloom et al. (2003). Alcohol Research & Health 27(2):146–152.