Craving for alcohol and food during treatment for alcohol dependence: modulation by T allele of 1519T>C GABAAalpha6.
BACKGROUND
Craving for alcohol and food has been studied in association with alcohol dependence and eating disorders, respectively. One subclass of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, 1519T>C GABA(A)alpha6 has been reported to be associated with both alcohol dependence and weight gain. In this study, we hypothesized that patients being treated for alcohol dependence would report decreased craving for alcohol, but an increased craving for food during a 4-week treatment period. We further hypothesized that the T allele of the 1519T>C GABA(A)alpha6 gene would modulate the extent of changes in craving for alcohol and food.


METHODS
This study included 98 male inpatients being treated for alcohol dependence. A 7-point visual analog scale was applied to evaluate relative levels of alcohol and food craving at baseline and again 4 weeks later. Body weight was also checked at the same periods. Genotyping of the 1519T>C SNP in GABA(A)alpha6 was carried out by restriction fragment length polymorphism.


RESULTS
There were significant changes in craving for alcohol and food in all patients with alcohol dependence. During the treatment period, body weight increased in all patients with alcohol dependence. Changes in alcohol and food craving in T-allele carriers (CT + TT) of 1519T>C GABA(A)alpha6 were greater than those observed in CC homozygotes. In T-allele carriers, body weight significantly increased and the changes in weight showed a negative correlation with the change in the craving for alcohol and a positive correlation with the changes in craving for food.


CONCLUSIONS
The current results suggest that in T-allele carriers the change in craving for alcohol during treatment for alcohol dependence is negatively associated with changes in craving for food. The T allele of the 1519T>C GABA(A)alpha6 gene may be one of the modulating factors associated with changes in craving for alcohol and food during treatment of patients with alcohol dependence.
Han
Doug Hyun
DH
Brain Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical University, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, USA.
Bolo
Nicholas
N
Daniels
Melissa A
MA
Lyoo
In Kyoon
IK
Min
Kyung Joon
KJ
Kim
Chang Hyun
CH
Renshaw
Perry F
PF
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D000483:Alleles; D001835:Body Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004435:Eating / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000235:genetics*
C546171:GABRA6 protein, human; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A