Serum cortisol secretion during heroin abstinence is elevated only nocturnally.
Several studies indicate abnormalities in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) during acute opiate withdrawal, but protracted withdrawal has gotten less study. The current study further characterized the 24-hour time course of plasma cortisol levels in heroin-dependent individuals who were abstinent for 10-15 days, which is beyond the 5 days of acute withdrawal, compared to demographically matched healthy controls using samples collected every 3 hours over 24 hours and assessed with radioimmunoassay (RIA). The abstinent heroin-dependent participants had significantly higher plasma cortisol levels nocturnally suggesting a loss of diurnal variation in these heroin subjects.
Li
Su-xia
SX
National Institute on Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Li
Jing
J
Epstein
David H
DH
Zhang
Xiang Yang
XY
Kosten
Thomas R
TR
Lu
Lin
L
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
D006854:Hydrocortisone