title: NGF plasma levels increase due to alcohol intoxication and decrease during withdrawal.
abstract: Recent studies show that alcohol dependence is associated with alterations in plasma levels of nerve growth factor (NGF). The aim of this study was to further elucidate reported alterations in NGF plasma levels during alcohol intoxication and withdrawal. Therefore, we assessed NGF plasma levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) on admission (day 0) and day 7 of alcohol withdrawal in male alcohol dependent patients (n=75) in comparison to healthy controls (n=44). We found significant higher (U=1005.0, p<0.001) NGF plasma levels in the alcohol-dependent patients. Subgroup analysis showed significant higher (U=-2.934, p=0.003) NGF plasma levels in patients suffering from acute alcohol intoxication (group A) than in early abstinent patients (group B). From day 0 to day 7 of alcohol withdrawal NGF plasma levels decreased significantly in both groups (group A: Z=-3.118, p=0.002, group B: Z=-2.103, p=0.035). Our results suggest that acute alcohol intoxication is associated with an increase in NGF plasma levels, which decrease during alcohol withdrawal. These results suggest that NGF plasma levels increase as part of a regulation mechanism that counteracts alcohol intoxication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany. annemarie.heberlein@uk-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Annemarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heberlein
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bleich
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bayerlein
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Frieling
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gröschl
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hillemacher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D011594:Psychometrics; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D013695:Temperance; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D020932:Nerve Growth Factor