Alcohol and withdrawal: from animal research to clinical issues.
The withdrawal syndrome in alcohol-dependent patients appears to be a major stressful event whose intensity increases with repetition of detoxifications according to a kindling process. Disturbances in the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neural processes are reflected in a perturbed physical state while disturbances in the balance between positive and negative reinforcements are reflected in a perturbed mood state. Our purpose is to link the different behavioral outcomes occurring during withdrawal with specific biological brain mechanisms from the animal to the human being. Better understanding of the various biological mechanisms underlying withdrawal from alcohol will be the key to design and to apply appropriate pharmaceutical management, together with appropriate therapy aimed at inducing protracted abstinence.
De Witte
Ph
P
Laboratoire de Biologie du Comportement, Université catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud, 1-Bte 10, B-1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. dewitte@bani.ucl.ac.be
Pinto
E
E
Ansseau
M
M
Verbanck
P
P
D020268:Alcohol-Induced Disorders, Nervous System / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000187:drug effects; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000139:chemically induced; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000139:chemically induced; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology
D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D000431:Ethanol; D018698:Glutamic Acid