title: Decreased galanin serum levels are associated with alcohol-craving during withdrawal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The hypothalamic galanin expression has been associated with increased intake of carbohydrates and fats in preclinical studies. The appetite stimulating effect of galanin is thought to underlie the positive association between alcohol consumption and hypothalamic galanin expression observed in preclinical studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this pilot study we investigated alterations in galanin serum levels (33 male patients) in alcohol-dependent patients during alcohol withdrawal (days 1, 7 and 14) in comparison to healthy controls (19 male controls). In order to assess the putative association between appetite regulation, galanin serum levels and alcohol consumption we additionally investigated the serum levels of insulin, glucose and triglycerides.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The galanin serum levels on day 1 of alcohol withdrawal were significantly reduced in the alcohol-dependent patients (T=-3.302, p=0.002) and increased significantly from day 1 to day 14 of alcohol withdrawal (F=6.437, p=0.002). We found a significant negative association between the galanin serum levels and alcohol craving measured by the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS) (r=-0.449, p=0.009) and the obsessive subscale of the OCDS (r=-0.521, p=0.002) on day 1 of alcohol withdrawal. There was no association between the galanin serum levels and the parameters of energy homeostasis (triglycerides, cholesterol, insulin, and glucose) investigated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acute alcohol withdrawal was associated with decreased galanin serum levels in this pilot study. There was no association between the galanin serum levels and the parameters of energy homeostasis. Further research of galanin serum levels in active drinkers will be necessary to clarify the putative association between galanin serum levels, appetite regulation and alcohol consumption.
authors.affiliation: Center for Addiction Research, Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Germany. heberlein.annemarie@mh-hannover.de
authors.forename: Annemarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heberlein
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muschler
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Frieling
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lenz
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gröschl
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bleich
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hillemacher
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016739:Behavior, Addictive; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001831:Body Temperature; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D019004:Galanin / Q000097:blood*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011594:Psychometrics; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D000431:Ethanol; D019004:Galanin; D002784:Cholesterol