title: Atrial natriuretic peptide, arginine vasopressin peptide and cortisol serum levels in opiate-dependent patients.
abstract: Preclinical studies suggest that chronic drug abuse profoundly alters stress-responsive systems. The best studied of the stress-responsive systems in humans is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Apart from cortisol, arginine vasopressin peptide (AVP), and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) are known to directly impact upon the HPA axis in addictive behavior. We investigated alterations in ANP, AVP and cortisol serum levels in opiate-dependent patients who received diacetylmorphine treatment within a structured opiate maintenance program. ANP serum levels were significantly increased in opiate-dependent patients as compared to healthy controls, whereas AVP and cortisol serum levels were reduced. The ANP, AVP and cortisol serum levels were not significantly associated with the psychometric dimensions of heroin craving. In conclusion, chronic drug abuse profoundly alters stress-responsive systems like the HPA axis. Alterations of AVP, ANP and cortisol appear to constitute an important component in the neurobiology of opiate-dependent patients.
authors: Center for Addiction Research (CARe), Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. glahn.alexander@mh-hannover.de
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Glahn
authors: Annemarie
authors: A
authors: Heberlein
authors: Kenneth M
authors: KM
authors: Dürsteler-MacFarland
authors: Bernd
authors: B
authors: Lenz
authors: Helge
authors: H
authors: Frieling
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Gröschl
authors: Gerhard A
authors: GA
authors: Wiesbeck
authors: Johannes
authors: J
authors: Kornhuber
authors: Dominikus
authors: D
authors: Bönsch
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Bleich
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Hillemacher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000097:blood*; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D003932:Heroin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009294:Narcotics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000523:psychology; D011594:Psychometrics; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D003932:Heroin; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D006854:Hydrocortisone