title: The behavioural profile of gamma-hydroxybutyrate, gamma-butyrolactone and 1,4-butanediol in humans.
abstract: Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is a putative neurotransmitter, a drug of abuse, and a medical treatment for narcolepsy and other neuropsychiatric disorders. Its precursors gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) and 1,4-butanediol (1,4-BD) are endogenously converted to GHB and thereby exert their psychobehavioural effects. In humans, GHB has a wide spectrum of properties ranging from stimulation and euphoria in lower doses, to sedation, deep sleep, and coma after ingestion of high doses. However, behavioural studies in healthy volunteers remain scarce and are usually limited to psychomotor performance testing. Most available data arise from either qualitative studies with illicit users or clinical trials examining therapeutic properties of GHB (then usually termed sodium oxybate). Here, we present an overview of the behavioural effects of GHB, GBL, and 1,4-BD in these three populations. GHB and its precursors strongly influence behaviours related to core human autonomic functions such as control of food intake, sexual behaviour, and sleep-wake regulation. These effects are instrumentalised by illicit users and clinically utilised in neuropsychiatric disorders such as narcolepsy, fibromyalgia, and binge-eating syndrome. Considering the industry withdrawal from psychopharmacology development, repurposing of drugs according to their behavioural and clinical profiles has gained increasing relevance. As such, GHB seems to be an attractive candidate as an experimental therapeutic in depression.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Zurich University Hospital for Psychiatry, Lenggstrasse 31, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: oliver.bosch@bli.uzh.ch.
authors: Oliver G
authors: OG
authors: Bosch
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Zurich University Hospital for Psychiatry, Lenggstrasse 31, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Erich
authors: E
authors: Seifritz
mesh_terms: D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D002072:Butylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects*; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D012919:Social Behavior; D012978:Sodium Oxybate / Q000009:adverse effects; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D002072:Butylene Glycols; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D012978:Sodium Oxybate; C039681:1,4-butanediol; D015107:4-Butyrolactone
keywords: Altruism; Antidepressant; Liquid ecstasy; Prosexual; Prosocial; γ-Hydroxybutyrate