title: CSF CRH in abstinent cocaine-dependent patients.
abstract: Alterations in stress responsivity may be important in the vulnerability to become cocaine dependent. Thus, an index of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function was examined in abstinent cocaine-dependent patients. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of corticotropin releasing factor (CRH) were determined in 29 abstinent cocaine-dependent patients and 66 normal controls. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the abstinent cocaine-dependent patients and normal controls for CSF CRH. Also, CSF CRH concentrations were not related to cocaine-craving scores in a cue-elicited cocaine-craving procedure. Thus, these data suggest that after protracted abstinence from cocaine there is no marked dysregulation of CRH systems as measured by CSF CRH concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Service (116A), Department of Veterans Affairs, New Jersey Healthcare System, 385 Tremont Avenue, East Orange, NJ 07018, USA. alec.roy@med.va.gov
authors.forename: Alec
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Garth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bissette
authors.forename: Redford
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.forename: Bienvenido
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003042:Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D003042:Cocaine; D006854:Hydrocortisone