Mental well-being in alcohol withdrawal: relationship to alpha2-adrenoceptor function.
The possible relationship between postsynaptic alpha2-adrenoceptor function, as assessed by the growth hormone (GH) response to clonidine (CLON) and aspects of mental well-being by self-report of mood using the Swedish Mood Adjective Check List, was investigated in alcohol-dependent patients in the early withdrawal period. Patients had blunted GH responses to CLON and worse mental well-being than control subjects immediately after the end of alcohol intake. No relation was found between mental well-being and postsynaptic alpha2-adrenoceptor function. After 1 week, the GH responses to CLON remained blunted, whereas the state of mental well-being had improved to levels similar to those of control subjects. The results further support a downregulated alpha2-adrenoceptor function during 1 week of alcohol withdrawal. Furthermore, even if subsensitive postsynaptic alpha2-adrenoceptor function was not generally related to state of mood, patients with the lowest postsynaptic alpha2-adrenoceptor function reported the highest levels in the dimensions pleasantness/unpleasantness and activation/deactivation when sober.
Fahlke
C
C
Department of Psychology, Göteborg, Sweden.
Berggren
U
U
Balldin
J
J
D000322:Adrenergic Agonists; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects; D003000:Clonidine; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2 / Q000502:physiology*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*
D000322:Adrenergic Agonists; D015415:Biomarkers; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D000431:Ethanol; D003000:Clonidine