Mecamylamine and ethanol preference in healthy volunteers.
BACKGROUND
Recent evidence suggests that some of the behavioral effects of alcohol may be mediated through actions on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Mecamylamine, a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, reduces alcohol preference and consumption in alcohol-preferring rats, and in humans, mecamylamine dampens some of the subjective, or mood-altering, effects of alcohol. This experiment was designed to investigate the effects of mecamylamine on consumption of alcohol in healthy social drinkers.


METHODS
Healthy volunteers (12 men, 12 women) participated in a choice procedure in which they chose between an alcoholic beverage and money (low, medium, or high amounts) after pretreatment with mecamylamine (7.5 or 15 mg) or placebo. Outcome measures were the number of alcoholic beverages consumed and the subjective effects of alcohol.


RESULTS
Mecamylamine (15 mg) decreased blood alcohol levels (BALs) after a small fixed dose of alcohol (0.2 g/kg). Even when the lower BALs were taken into account, mecamylamine reduced ratings of stimulation after alcohol (Addiction Research Center Inventory A scale). Mecamylamine did not significantly reduce choice for alcohol versus money. However, there was a tendency for the drug to decrease alcohol choice among participants who reported the greatest stimulant-like effects from alcohol.


CONCLUSIONS
These results provide only limited support for the idea that nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are involved in the rewarding effects of alcohol.
Young
Elizabeth M
EM
Department of Psychiatry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
Mahler
Stephen
S
Chi
Henry
H
de Wit
Harriet
H
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008464:Mecamylamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged
D000431:Ethanol; D008464:Mecamylamine