title: GABRA2 alleles moderate the subjective effects of alcohol, which are attenuated by finasteride.
abstract: GABA(A) receptors are involved in the subjective effects of alcohol. Endogenous neuroactive steroids interact with GABA(A) receptors to mediate several behavioral effects of alcohol in rodents. Based on a haplotypic association of alcohol dependence with the gene encoding the GABA(A) receptor alpha-2 subunit (GABRA2), we examined whether GABRA2 alleles are associated with the subjective response to alcohol. We also examined whether finasteride (a 5-alpha steroid reductase inhibitor), which blocks the synthesis of some neuroactive steroids, reduces the subjective response to alcohol. In all, 27 healthy social drinkers (15 males) completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of high-dose finasteride. After being pretreated with study drug, subjects consumed three alcoholic drinks. Subjective effects were measured repeatedly over the ascending blood alcohol curve. To examine the moderating role of genetic variation in GABRA2, a single-nucleotide polymorphism that was informative in association studies was included as a factor in the analysis. Subjects homozygous for the more common A-allele (n=7) showed more subjective effects of alcohol than did individuals with one or two copies of the alcohol dependence-associated G-allele (n=20, including two homozygotes). Among the A-allele homozygotes, there was a greater reduction in several subjective effects during the finasteride session compared to the placebo session. These findings provide preliminary evidence that the risk of alcoholism associated with GABRA2 alleles may be related to differences in the subjective response to alcohol. The effects of finasteride provide indirect evidence for a mediating role of neuroactive steroids in some of the subjective effects of alcohol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Alcohol Research Center, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030, USA.
authors.forename: Amira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pierucci-Lagha
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Covault
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Feinn
authors.forename: Maggie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nellissery
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Avila
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oncken
authors.forename: A Leslie
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Morrow
authors.forename: Henry R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kranzler
mesh_terms: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D000483:Alleles; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001944:Breath Tests; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D018120:Finasteride / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005838:Genotype; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000235:genetics*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; C484841:GABRA2 protein, human; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D000431:Ethanol; D018120:Finasteride