title: Serotonergic dysfunction in addiction: effects of alcohol, cigarette smoking and heroin on platelet 5-HT content.
abstract: The impact of ethanol, cigarette smoking and heroin on serotonin function was evaluated, first in alcoholics during chronic ethanol intoxication and in opiate addicts after long-term heroin consumption, and secondly in both patient groups after detoxification treatment (i.e. a short-term abstinence of 8 days). Our results showed that the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) content in platelets was: (1) increased in the subgroup of anti-social alcoholics; (2) transiently and differently altered in alcoholics compared to opiate addicts; and (3) lowered in drinking alcoholics and normal in alcoholics who were drinking as well as smoking (that may occur via MAO-B inhibition by smoke). The findings indicate that alterations of the peripheral and possibly the central serotonin system may occur as predisposing factors for alcoholism in individuals with anti-social traits; they may also have some impact on the progression of alcoholism due to its lowered function during chronic ethanol intoxication that is substantially modified by smoking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Universitätsklinikum Benjamin Franklin, Free University of Berlin, Germany. lschmidt@zedat.fu-berlin.de
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dufeu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heinz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rommelspacher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000502:physiology; D009042:Motivation; D010343:Patient Admission; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase