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D‐Fenfluramine‐Induced Prolactin Responses in Postwithdrawal Alcoholics and Controls
Author(s) -
Farren Conor K.,
Ziedonis Douglas,
Clare Anthony W.,
Hammeedi Faiq A.,
Dinan Timothy G.
Publication year - 1995
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.1530-0277.1995.tb01027.x
Subject(s) - fenfluramine , prolactin , medicine , serotonergic , endocrinology , abstinence , analysis of variance , serotonin , agonist , alcohol dependence , psychology , alcohol , hormone , chemistry , receptor , psychiatry , biochemistry
Serum prolactin response to the serotonin agonist d ‐fenfluramine were measured in 19 DSM‐111‐R male alcoholics, 2.5 or more weeks postalcohol withdrawal. Prolactin responses were compared with nine healthy nonalcoholic male controls. After an overnight fast, each subject received 30 mg of d ‐fenfluramine orally, and serial samples of serum prolactin were taken over a 4‐hr period. d ‐fenfluramine caused a significantly attenuated peak δ‐prolactin response in the alcoholics relative to the controls ( p = 0.05). A repeated‐measures ANOVA of δ‐prolactin yielded a significant within‐subjects effect of time ( p < 0.05), a within‐subjects effect of group that reached significance ( p = 0.05), and a nonsignificant group by time interaction. The δ‐prolactin value at time points 60 and 240 min postadministration of the probe was significantly attenuated in the alcoholic group, with p < 0.05. There was also some evidence for a diminished serotonergic response in those alcoholics with a negative family history. The δ‐prolactin response did not correlate with subjects'age, duration of alcohol use, duration of abstinence from alcohol, severity of alcohol dependence, or age of onset. Results imply a relative sub‐sensitivity of the serotonin system in postwithdrawal alcoholics, and this may be primarily of the 5‐HT 2 receptor.