Serotonergic ethanol effects and auditory evoked dipole activity in alcoholic and healthy subjects

Author(s): Juckel, G., Schmidt, L. G., Rommelspacher, H.

Journal/Book: Psychiatry Res. 1996; 63: Customer Relations Manager, Bay 15, Shannon Industrial, Estate Co, Clare, Ireland. Elsevier Sci Ireland Ltd. 47-55.

Abstract: Ethanol has central serotonergic effects that may be of pathogenetic importance in a subgroup of alcohol-dependent patients with a central serotonergic hypofunction. Recent results indicate that pronounced amplitude increases of auditory evoked responses (tangential dipoles, N-1/P-2 component) with increasing stimulus intensity (loudness) may be an indicator of such a low serotonergic neurotransmission. Because of its serotonin-agonistic effects, ethanol can be expected to decrease this intensity dependence. Twenty-eight alcoholic patients were studied both in the intoxication phase and after 1 week of withdrawal. A reduced intensity dependence of the tangential dipole activity was observed in the intoxicated state. Correspondingly, a reduction of this parameter was found in 14 healthy subjects after an ethanol load (1 g/kg, p.o.).

Note: Article U Hegerl, Univ Munich, Dept Psychiat, Nussbaumstr 7, D-80336 Munich, Germany

Keyword(s): alcohol dependence; serotonin; evoked potentials; carbohydrate deficient transferrin; INTENSITY DEPENDENCE; POTENTIALS; RATS; NEUROTRANSMISSION; DOPAMINE; EEG

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