title: Changes in human plasma nerve growth factor level after chronic alcohol consumption and withdrawal.
abstract: Numerous studies reported in recent years have shown that withdrawal from chronic consumption of drugs induces high levels of anxiety, both in humans and in animal models. In the present study, we demonstrated that withdrawal from chronic consumption of either ethanol or heroin causes a significant increase in plasma nerve growth factor, suggesting that the resulting anxiety condition triggers the release of this molecule. Although the functional significance of this phenomenon needs to be better defined, it is hypothesized that the increased levels of circulating nerve growth factor might be involved in homeostatic adaptive and/or reparative mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurobiology, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aloe
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tuveri
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pinna
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tirassa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Micera
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alleva
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000430:Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium / Q000097:blood*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000097:blood; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D003932:Heroin / Q000009:adverse effects; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000097:blood / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D003932:Heroin; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone