Alcoholism and depressive disorders: is cholinergic sensitivity a biological marker?
There is an overlap between alcoholism and depressive disorders. However, alcoholics tend to be resistant to the effect of cholinergic agonists, whereas depressives tend to be more sensitive. A recently developed animal model of depression which is more sensitive to cholinergic agonists is also more sensitive to the acute effects of ethanol. These consistent human and animal studies suggest that cholinergic challenges may be helpful in separating alcoholics from depressives.
Center for Alcohol Studies University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill 27599.
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Overstreet
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Janowsky
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Rezvani
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000502:physiology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory; D006801:Humans; D010830:Physostigmine; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000502:physiology*; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000502:physiology
D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D010830:Physostigmine; D000109:Acetylcholine