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The Effect of Tryptophan Depletion on Alcohol Self‐Administration in Non‐Treatment‐Seeking Alcoholic Individuals
Author(s) -
Petrakis Ismene L.,
Buonopane Alessandra,
O'Malley Stephanie,
Cermik Omer,
Trevisan Louis,
Boutros Nashaat N.,
Limoncelli Diana,
Krystal John H.
Publication year - 2002
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.1530-0277.2002.tb02629.x
Subject(s) - alcohol , craving , placebo , self administration , ethanol , alcohol abuse , alcohol intoxication , medicine , poison control , tryptophan , psychology , injury prevention , psychiatry , chemistry , addiction , environmental health , biochemistry , alternative medicine , pathology , amino acid
Background Alcohol self‐administration in the laboratory has been used to evaluate pharmacological treatments and neurobiological mechanisms that underlie alcohol use in alcohol‐dependent individuals. This study evaluated whether attenuation of serotonin synthesis via depletion of its precursor tryptophan reduces the amount of alcohol consumed in a self‐administration paradigm in non‐treatment‐seeking individuals with alcohol use disorders. Methods Individuals with alcohol dependence ( n = 8) and alcohol abuse ( n = 4) who were not seeking treatment were recruited by advertisement and participated in two test days, 1 week apart. Each test session was preceded by administration of a concentrated amino acid drink that resulted in a rapid and significant decline in plasma free tryptophan (active depletion) or a similar drink containing tryptophan (placebo depletion). Tests were conducted in a randomized, double‐blind fashion. The test session began with a cue exposure session where subjects were exposed to their favorite alcoholic beverage and asked to rate their craving for alcohol. After this, subjects were administered a priming drink designed to raise blood alcohol levels to 0.02 g%. Subjects then had the opportunity to drink up to eight additional drinks, each designed to raise blood alcohol levels by 0.02 g%, or to receive $3 for each drink not consumed over a 2‐hr period. Results There were no significant differences in alcohol consumed or subjective intoxication with active tryptophan depletion compared with placebo. Self‐reported craving correlated with the amount of alcohol consumed in the session. Conclusions These data question the dependence of alcohol self‐administration on the ongoing synthesis of serotonin.