Severity of alcohol dependence is negatively related to hypothalamic and prefrontal cortical gray matter density in heavy drinking smokers.

Background: While research has examined brain structure in individuals who use alcohol or nicotine, heavy drinking smokers comprise a unique subpopulation of substance users for whom less is known about the relationship between alcohol or nicotine use and structural brain abnormalities.

Objectives: The present study examined gray matter morphometry in a sample of 39 heavy drinking smokers (24 males, 15 females) in relation to alcohol and nicotine dependence and quantity of use.

Methods: Traditional voxel-based morphometry techniques were employed for preprocessing of imaging data.