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Cerebro‐spinal Fluid Studies in Alcoholics and Violent Offenders
Author(s) -
Nutt David,
Adinoff Bryon,
Ravitz Bernard,
George Ted,
RisherFlowers Debra,
Eckardt Michael,
Bone George,
Martin Peter,
Linnoila Markku
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
australian drug and alcohol review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.018
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1465-3362
pISSN - 0819-5331
DOI - 10.1080/09595238880000231
Subject(s) - serotonin , fluvoxamine , monoamine neurotransmitter , norepinephrine , psychology , cerebrospinal fluid , metabolite , medicine , anesthesia , neuroscience , dopamine , fluoxetine , receptor
Firstly, the contribution that cerebro‐spinal fluid (CSF) studies have made to our understanding of the pathophysiology of alcohol withdrawal is addressed. Secondly, the developing literature, from our own studies and those of others, on abnormal CSF measurements in alcoholics and violent offenders is reviewed, with particular regard to impulsive murderers and arsonists. It is concluded that there is CSF evidence for increased norepinephrine function in alcohol withdrawal and an underlying serotonin hypofunction in impulsive disorders including some forms of alcoholism. Finally we report that patients with Korsakoff's syndrome may have central serotonin dysfunction since they show memory improvements during treatment with the serotonin uptake blocker fluvoxamine. Furthermore, these improvements correlate with the magnitude of change that fluvoxamine produces in CSF concentrations of the serotonin metabolite 5‐HIAA.