title: [Prolactin in the alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Role of the dopaminergic system].
abstract: The basal prolactinemia and the prolactinic reserve were investigated in 30 chronic alcoholics, during the alcohol withdrawal syndrome. In 80% of these patients, the prolactinic reserve was extremely low, while in 16,66% of them was normal or near the lowest limits, recognizing in the exaggerated dopaminergic central activity the responsible pathogenetic mechanism. The dopaminergic hyperactivity fits into a general context of the sympathetic-adrenergic hypertonia, which notoriously plays a primary pathogenetic role in the pathogenesis of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome. In 5 patients with an inhibited prolactin response, a normalization of the prolactin reserve was registered in a test (the same methoclopramide test) carried out after 2-3 months of abstinence from alcoholic beverages, as an evidence of the normalization of the central dopaminergic activity and of a dopaminergic hyperactivity during the alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004298:Dopamine / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008787:Metoclopramide; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D011388:Prolactin; D008787:Metoclopramide; D004298:Dopamine
vernacular_title: La prolattina nella sindrome da astinenza alcolica. Ruolo del sistema dopaminergico.