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Monoamines and Alcohol
Author(s) -
NUTT DAVID,
GLUE PAUL
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
british journal of addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0952-0481
DOI - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1986.tb00339.x
Subject(s) - monoamine neurotransmitter , dopamine , alcohol , psychology , addiction , norepinephrine , kindling , ethanol , craving , medicine , serotonin , psychiatry , neuroscience , receptor , stimulation , chemistry , biochemistry , organic chemistry
Summary For many years alcohol (ethanol) has been known to interact with the three major CNS neurotransmitters, noradrenaline, dopamine, and 5‐hydroxytryptamine. This work, originally based on animal studies, has more recently been extended into man with interesting findings both on the effects of alcohol on monoamine neurotransmitters and possibilities that abnormalities of these substances may act as pre‐disposing factors for alcoholism. Studies on noradrenaline show that it seems to be affected by alcohol in all phases of administration with an overall tendency to increasing turnover, and is most obviously manifest by the withdrawal signs. Drugs which affect noradrenergic receptors to reduce turnover, e.g. clonidine, seem to be of value in treating alcohol withdrawal. Abnormalities of dopamine function may contribute to the paranoid psychosis which may develop in alcoholism, and also to the hallucinosis and confusion seen in withdrawal. 5‐HT seems to be involved in alcohol appetite and preference. It may also be involved in the development of tolerance. The possibility that reduced noradrenaline and/or 5‐HT function may predispose to alcoholism is supported by a number of observations. However, much further work in this direction is needed before we can be certain of the role of either of these neurotransmitters.