title: Hormonal (ACTH, cortisol, beta-endorphin, and met-enkephalin) and cardiovascular responses to hyperthermic stress in chronic alcoholics.
abstract: Chronic alcohol drinking causes profound alterations in hypothalamic-pituitary function. In the present study, endocrine [corticotropin (ACTH), beta-endorphin, cortisol, and met-enkephalin] and cardiovascular (blood pressure) changes in response to hyperthermic stress (sauna at 90 degrees C for 30 min) were evaluated in 25 normal men (25 to 50 years old) and in 48 male alcoholic subjects (34 to 56 years old) after 5 weeks of abstinence. Significantly lower increments in systolic blood pressure were observed in alcoholics than in control subjects. Furthermore, alcoholics showed lower ACTH, beta-endorphin, and cortisol increments in response to sauna than normal controls. In contrast, sauna-induced hyperthermia did not change significantly the circulating met-enkephalin levels in either normal controls or chronic alcoholics. These data suggest that an impairment in the adaptive response to stress affects alcoholic men even after a few weeks of abstinence from alcohol.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Internal Medicine, University of Parma, Italy.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Vescovi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: DiGennaro
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Coiro
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects*; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000097:blood*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006359:Heat Exhaustion / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone