POSTER SESSION 2: MARKERS, PSYCHIATRY AND TREATMENT * MARKERS * P49 * BIOMARKERS DEMONSTRATE INCREASED CONSUMPTION BUT NOT ABUSE OF ETHANOL IN ESSENTIAL TREMOR

Abstract

Dopaminergic neurotransmissions play indispensible roles in modulation ofaddictive behaviours through personality and stress response. This study aimsat exploring the relationships among personality traits, salivary cortisol andalcohol craving in alcohol-dependent subjects, and the associations betweenthese parameters and gene polymorphisms involved. Alcohol-dependent subjects(n = 156) were recruited during a 5-day detoxification treatment.Neuroticism (N), extraversion (E) and conscientiousness (C) were measuredby NEO PI-R; harm avoidance (HA), reward dependence (RD), noveltyseeking (NS), persistence (P) and self-directedness (SD) were measured byTridimensional Character Inventory. Alcohol craving level was measured byAlcohol Urge Questionnaire in the morning of day 3–day 5, and a salivasample was collected subsequently for cortisol measurement. Genotyping wasdone on by PCR-RFLP. Results showed that alcohol craving correlated withsalivary cortisol level in female subjects (Spearman’s ρ = 0.430, P = 0.022)but not in male subjects. Alcohol craving is significantly (P < 0.05) correlatedwith N, C, NS and RD scores for male subjects but with E, C, NS and Pscores for female subjects. Significant correlation between alcohol cravingand these personality traits was only observed in DRD2 TaqIA A1-allele carriers,whose craving level was negatively correlated with RD scores (adjustedr2 = 0.191, P < 0.001). Structural equation modeling revealed the effect ofDRD2 TaqIA on alcohol craving is mediated through RD trait. The currentfindings suggest that correlations between alcohol craving, salivary cortisollevel and certain addiction-related personality traits are gender-specific.DRD2 TaqIA polymorphisms may be associated with alcohol craving levelthrough mediation of RD trait: alcohol-dependent A1-carrying patients withmore prominent RD trait may benefit from a detoxification treatment environmentin which alcohol craving level is low.