title: Concentration of serotonin metabolites in the cerebrospinal fluid from alcoholics before and during disulfiram therapy.
abstract: The levels of 5-hydroxytryptophol and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid before and after one week of disulfiram treatment (400 mg/day) from ten male hospitalized alcoholic patients. The disulfiram treatment induced elevated (P less than 0.001) levels of 5-hydroxytryptophol. The levels were higher than in a control group, both before (P less than 0.01) and after (P less than 0.001) the treatment. No effects on the levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were noted. The results indicate an altered serotonin metabolism in alcoholics, which is further potentiated by disulfiram treatment.
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004221:Disulfiram / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006917:Hydroxytryptophol / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D012701:Serotonin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
chemical_list: D006917:Hydroxytryptophol; D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D004221:Disulfiram