Alcohol intoxication increases allopregnanolone levels in male adolescent humans.
BACKGROUND
Teenage drinking is a cause of growing concern in industrialized countries, where almost 35% of alcohol drinkers are under 16 years old. Increased anxiety, irritability and depression among adolescents may induce them to seek the anxiolytic and rewarding properties of alcohol. Allopregnanolone is rewarding in rodents, and therefore may contribute to the effects of alcohol.


OBJECTIVE
In this paper, we studied the effects of acute alcohol intoxication on the plasma levels of allopregnanolone in male adolescents.


METHODS
Blood samples were drawn from male adolescents who arrived at the Emergency Department of the Hospital. Two groups were studied: one study group was formed by adolescents who arrived with evident behavioral symptoms of acute alcohol intoxication (AAI) and the other by those arriving for mild trauma (contusions, sprains) after no consumption of alcohol (Controls).


RESULTS
Our results demonstrate that AAI significantly increases serum allopregnanolone levels in male adolescents.


CONCLUSIONS
Because alcohol and allopregnanolone positively modulate gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors, allopregnanolone may play a major role in the anxiolytic and rewarding effects of alcohol, either directly or by influencing the sensitivity of GABAA receptors to alcohol.
Torres
J M
JM
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Avda de Madrid s/n, 18012 Granada, Spain.
Ortega
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000097:blood*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood
D011374:Progesterone; D011280:Pregnanolone