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The Hypothalamic‐Pituitary‐Adrenal Axis in Alcoholics
Author(s) -
Fuente Juan R. de La,
Rosenbaum Alan H.,
Morse Robert M.,
Niven Robert G.,
Abboud Charles F.,
Jiang NaiS.,
Schatzberg Alan F.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1983.tb05408.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dexamethasone , endocrinology , steroid , hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis , corticosteroid , excretion , urinary system , alcohol , adrenocortical hyperfunction , hydrocortisone , hormone , biology , biochemistry
The hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis of a group of patients suffering from alcoholism was studied by determining their plasma corticosteroid levels and urinary‐free cortisol excretion before and after administration of 2 mg of dexamethasone. The patients were recently abstinent from alcohol and were found to be in a hypersecretory state. However, the axis appeared to be intact because they were able to suppress when steroid was given exogenously.