title: Neuroendocrine responses to fenfluramine and its relationship to personality in alcoholism.
abstract: This study investigates the relationship between personality and serotonergic reactivity in alcohol dependence. Personality characteristics were assessed according to the Temperament and Character model of Cloninger, the five-factor model of McCrae and Costa, Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking as well as Eysenck's impulsiveness/venturesomeness. Placebo-controlled prolactin response to the serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor/releaser fenfluramine served as an indicator for the reactivity of serotonergic neurotransmission. Forty abstinent alcohol-dependent men were subdivided into high and low prolactin responders according to their level of neuroendocrine response. High responders were characterized by decreased harm avoidance while their extraversion and venturesomeness scores were increased in comparison to low responders. The data demonstrates that harm avoidance on the one hand and extraversion/venturesomeness on the other are inversely correlated to serotonergic neurotransmission. These results support a specific relationship between personality traits and the serotonergic system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Policlinic, University Hospital of Würzburg, Federal Republic of Germany. weijers@mail.uni-wuerzburg.de
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Weijers
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Wiesbeck
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jakob
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Böning
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020268:Alcohol-Induced Disorders, Nervous System / Q000097:blood; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D005120:Extraversion, Psychological; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005277:Fenfluramine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010551:Personality / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005277:Fenfluramine; D011388:Prolactin; D012701:Serotonin; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors