CuZn superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Mn SOD activities were analyzed in hypothalamus, nucleus caudatus, hippocampus and cortex gyrus cinguli from 12 chronic alcoholics and from 16 controls. The CuZn SOD activities were slightly lower and the Mn SOD activities were slightly higher in the brain pieces from chronic alcoholics compared to the controls. The slight differences found can hardly be assigned etiological importance in the degenerative processes in brain tissue connected with chronic alcoholism.