Thesis(DMed (Psychiatry))-- University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Alcohol-induced psychotic disorder (also known as alcohol hallucinosis) is a complication of alcohol abuse that requires clinical differentiation from alcohol withdrawal delirium and schizophrenia. Although extensively described, few studies utilized standardized research instruments and brain-imaging has thus far been limited to case reports. The aim of this study was to prospectively compare four population groups (ie. patients with alcohol-induced psychotic disorder, schizophrenia, uncomplicated alcohol dependence and a healthy volunteer group) according to demographic, psychopathological and brainimaging variables utilizing (i) rating scales and (ii) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). The third component of the study was designed to investigate the (iii) effect of anti-psychotic treatment on the psychopathology and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) before and after six weeks of treatment with haloperidol. Effort was made to ensure exclusion of comorbid medical disorders, including substance abuse. The study provides further supportive evidence that alcohol-induced psychotic disorder can be distinguished from schizophrenia. Statistically significant differences in rCBF were demonstrated between the alcohol-induced psychotic disorder and other groups. Changes in frontal, temporal, parietal, occipital, thalamic and cerebellar rCBF showed statistically significant negative correlations with post-treatment improvement on psychopathological variables and imply dysfunction of these areas in alcohol-induced psychotic disorder. The study was unable to distinguish between pharmacological effects and improvement acccomplished by abstinence from alcohol. / Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University