Alcohol-dependent Group Research Articles

Automatic visual-spatial perspective taking in alcohol-dependence: A study with happy emotional faces

BackgroundUnderstanding the world from another’s perspective is an important and potentially automatic human process which is crucial for efficient social interactions. However, while deficits have repeatedly been described for various interpersonal abilities in alcohol-dependence (AD), only one previous study has investigated perspective taking in this pathology. AimThe current study aimed to explore further how AD affects visual-spatial perspective taking (VSPT) by examining the effect of positive emotional stimuli on VSPT in both an AD and non-AD sample. MethodsReaction times (RT) for simple spatial judgments were measured. Participants made these judgments from their perspective, but judgments were either congruent or incongruent with the perspective of another agent. The emotion conveyed by that agent (happy or neutral) was manipulated across trials. ResultsCompared to baseline, both AD and non-AD groups displayed delayed RTs for spatial judgments when these were incongruent with the perspective of a happy agent (the expected VSPT RT cost, indicating automatic VSPT). The AD, but not the non-AD group, further displayed a VSPT RT cost when the agent expressed a neutral emotion. ConclusionThere was no evidence that AD compromised automatic VSPT. However, as in previous research, AD was associated with differences in the processing of emotional stimuli. Future research should explore which ‘real-world’ settings are likely to trigger social confusion and misunderstanding.

Verbal and spatial working memory among drug-using HIV-infected men and women.

Working memory (WM) is a critical component of many neurocognitive functions. The literature has demonstrated consistently that WM impairment is more frequent and severe among substance-dependent individuals (SDIs) infected with HIV compared with uninfected SDIs; however, the SDIs who participated in these previous studies were primarily male. There are few published data on WM performance among HIV+ women with or without substance use disorders, and essentially no direct comparisons of WM performance between HIV+ men and women, regardless of substance use. We investigated potential sex and serostatus effects on WM among a sample of 360 SDIs (114 with HIV; 66% female) verified abstinent from alcohol and drugs of abuse at testing and generally comparable on substance use and comorbid characteristics. Participants were tested with the n-back task, a well-established WM measure that is sensitive to HIV-associated cognitive impairment. HIV+ men and women performed spatial and verbal versions of the n-back significantly less accurately compared with HIV- participants. Women showed slower response times compared with men on both versions, regardless of HIV serostatus. Individuals dependent on cocaine showed faster RTs compared with non-dependent users, but this effect was not apparent among opioid- or alcohol-dependent groups. Findings on n-back accuracy are consistent with our previous proposal that WM impairment represents a signature deficit among HIV+ SDIs; however, WM impairment appears less common among HIV+ women without a substance use history. The pattern of sex differences in response speed but serostatus effects on response accuracy is comparable to a recent report by our group of sex differences in learning speed but serostatus effects on delayed recall.

Dysregulation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation in alcohol dependence.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic, relapsing psychiatric disease characterized by the emergence of negative emotional states and the development of motivational deficits that manifest during alcohol withdrawal. Accordingly, alcohol may be sought after and taken in excessive amounts to alleviate withdrawal-related symptoms. To develop more effective treatments for AUD, it is necessary to identify potential molecular targets that underlie the transition from initial alcohol use to alcohol dependence, and our previous work has implicated a role for potentiated glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling in this regard. As a key negative regulator of GR-mediated signaling, the current study first measured c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation in animals following an acute alcohol challenge. We found that JNK phosphorylation (pJNK) was significantly increased in the hippocampus, frontal cortical regions, and striatum of adult male Wistar rats following alcohol challenge, indicating that initial alcohol exposure increases JNK activity across several brain regions. A separate group of adult male Wistar rats were made dependent via chronic, intermittent ethanol vapor exposure and were trained to self-administer alcohol. We found that alcohol-dependent animals consumed significantly more alcohol and escalated their drinking over time compared to non-dependent animals. We then measured alterations in JNK phosphorylation in this alcohol-dependent group during acute withdrawal and found that pJNK was selectively decreased in the dorsal hippocampus, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, and cingulate cortex. These findings demonstrate that withdrawal from chronic alcohol exposure leads to region-specific deficits in JNK phosphorylation. JNK signaling dysregulation may foster long-lasting behavioral and motivational impairments in alcohol dependence, either as a result of increased GR-mediated stress signaling or via other downstream mechanisms.

Prevalence of Thyroid Function Abnormality in Admitted Male Patients with Alcohol Dependence Syndrome

Objective: Alcohol is one of the commonest psychoactive substances consumed globally. There are evidences suggesting its role in causing thyroid abnormality. It has been reported to have multiple effects on the hypothalamopituitary- thyroid axis. This study aimed to look at the thyroid function abnormalities in admitted male patients with alcohol dependence syndrome. Methods: Thyroid function parameters were compared among 30 male in-patients with Alcohol dependence syndrome (ADS) and 30 male in-patients with psychotic disorders as controls. Results: 23.3% of patients in the alcohol dependence group had thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) abnormality compared to 3.3% among control (psychotic disorders) group. 23.3% in the ADS group and 10% of the control group had free T4 (FT4) abnormality. TSH abnormality was seen more in individuals whose age of onset of alcohol use was 20-30 years which was statically significant (p=0.01). TSH abnormality was noted more in patients who consumed alcohol for more than 15 years and with quantity exceeding>720 ml.

The association between the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α4 subunit gene (CHRNA4) rs1044396 and Internet gaming disorder in Korean male adults.

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the genetic predisposition of Internet gaming disorder (IGD), and the secondary aim was to compare the results to those of alcohol dependence (AD). Two independent case-control studies were conducted. A total of 30 male participants with IGD, diagnosed according to the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria, and 30 sex-matched controls participated in study 1. We designed targeted exome sequencing (TES) to test for 72 candidate genes that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of addiction. The genes included seven neurotransmitter (dopamine, serotonin, glutamate, r-aminobutyric acid (GABA), norepinephrine, acetylcholine, and opioid) system genes. A total of 31 male in-patients with AD and 29 normal male controls (NC) were enrolled in study 2. The same 72 genes included in study 1 and ten additional genes related to alcohol-metabolic enzyme were selected as the target genes, and we identified the genetic variants using the same method (TES). The IGD group had a lower frequency of the T allele of rs1044396 in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha 4 subunit (CHRNA4), and this variant represents a protective allele against IGD. However, we did not find a significant difference in the polymorphisms of the 72 genes that encode neurotransmitter systems between the AD and NC groups. This study demonstrated that rs1044396 of CHRNA4 was significantly associated with IGD.

Dopamine Transporter Gene Methylation is Associated with Nucleus Accumbens Activation During Reward Processing in Healthy but not Alcohol-Dependent Individuals.

Alcohol's reinforcement is mediated by dopamine signaling in the ventral striatum, which is modulated by the dopamine transporter (DAT). We hypothesized that methylomic variation in the DAT gene (DAT1/SLC6A3) affects DAT expression, thus contributing to differences in brain reward circuitry in individuals with alcohol dependence (ALC). Blood from 45 recently detoxified ALC and 45 healthy control (HC) individuals was used to assess DNA methylation across 5 functional regions of SLC6A3. Participants completed the monetary incentive delay task in a 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Employing regression models, we examined effects of SLC6A3 methylation on nucleus accumbens (NAc) blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) responses during anticipation of high/low reward/loss. Results showed that decreased methylation of the promoter region of SLC6A3 predicted NAc activation during high loss anticipation (p=0.028) and low loss anticipation (at trend-level; p=0.057) in HC but not in individuals with ALC. Specifically, percentage of methylation at 2 CpG sites, located -1,001 and -993 base pairs from the transcription start site, accounted for significant variability in NAc activation in the HC group during high (ps≤0.010) and low (ps≤0.006) loss anticipation. There was no effect on reward anticipation. Furthermore, promoter methylation was positively associated with age, which replicates previous findings. Our data suggest that methylation in the promoter region of SLC6A3 predicts NAc activation during the anticipation of monetary loss in HCs. However, this effect was not present in the ALC group, suggesting that epigenetic regulation of striatal DAT expression might be disrupted in ALC, which may contribute to previously reported differences in sensitivity to reward and punishment in this population. Alternatively, it is possible that a similar relationship in the ALC group remained undetected possibly due to methodological limitations inherent in functional MRI (e.g., poor spatial resolution, low signal-to-noise ratio) that generally restrict interpretations regarding mechanisms of epigenetic factors involved in group differences in BOLD responses. Future neuroimaging studies are needed to further elucidate the relationship between SLC6A3 methylation and NAc activation in ALC.

ProBDNF/p75NTR/sortilin pathway is activated in peripheral blood of patients with alcohol dependence

Alcohol dependence is a worldwide problem with a great social and economic burden in many countries. A number of studies have suggested that BDNF (mature BDNF) and its precursor (proBDNF) play important roles in the alcohol dependence. However, what roles of the mBDNF/proBDNF pathways play during the pathological process of alcohol dependence are not clearly understood. In our clinical study, peripheral blood was sampled from 30 male patients with alcohol dependence and 50 healthy males (as control). The protein levels of proBDNF, p75NTR, sortilin, mBDNF, TrkB and mRNA levels of BDNF, p75NTR, sortilin, and TrkB were detected in the peripheral blood in our study. We found that the protein levels of proBDNF and p75NTR were increased, but not the sortilin protein level; while the TrkB protein level was decreased in the alcohol dependence patients compared with healthy controls. Moreover, the mRNA levels of p75NTR and sortilin from the lymphocytes were slightly increased; while BDNF and TrkB were significantly decreased. The ELISA results of mBDNF and TrkB were declined in the alcohol dependence group. The levels of mBDNF and TrkB were negatively correlated with the average amount of daily ethanol consumption, and the levels of proBDNF, p75NTR and sortilin were positively correlated with the average amount of ethanol consumption per day. The ratio of proBDNF to mBDNF was altered in alcohol dependence patients. The balance between the proBDNF/p75NTR and mBDNF/TrkB signalling pathways appeared dysregulated in alcohol dependence. Our results suggested that both pathways may participate in the complex processes of alcohol dependence.

Alcohol-Dependent Individuals Make Detrimental Decisions under Ambiguous and Perilous Conditions

The present study assessed the decision-making abilities of patients with alcohol dependence (AD) under ambiguity or risk conditions. Forty-eight AD patients and 50 healthy controls (HC) were subjected to the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), and Game of Dice Task (GDT) systems for evaluating their decision-making ability. Age, duration of education, and MMSE scores were compared between the AD and HC groups. The communication in each block/choice and the group was evaluated along with the relationship between the trial block and choice. The basic characteristics were similar between both groups. Reduced mean net scores (IGT) and frequencies of choice were found for various alternatives (GDT) in AD patients as compared to the healthy controls. The net scores of first block (IGT test) and GDT test in AD patients were associated remarkably. These findings indicated a worse decision-making performance in AD patients compared to HCs under both ambiguity and risk conditions.

Study on object, verbal and space working memory in male patients with alcohol dependence

Objective To explore working memory in male patients with alcohol dependence. Methods 50 male patients with alcohol dependence(AD group) and 50 healthy controls(HC group) were assessed by digit span test, trail making test and verbal fluency test. The visual-object, visual-verbal, visual-space working memory tasks were used to measure the difference of working memory between the two groups. Results Compared with HC group, alcohol dependence group showed significant impairments in performance of error number of visual-object, visual-verbal, visual-space working memory tasks (AD group: (3.76±2.20), 3(2, 5), (3.74±2.40)); (HC group: (2.94±1.60), 2(1, 3), 2(1, 4))(t=2.133, P=0.035; Z=-2.400, P=0.016; Z=-2.654, P=0.008). Moreover, scores of Michigan alcoholism screening test were positively correlated with the error number of verbal working memory task (r=0.371, P=0.008). Conclusion The male patients with alcohol dependence exhibit impairments in all aspects of working memory. Key words: Alcohol drinking; Working memory; Neuropsychology

Peripheral immune factors are elevated in women with current or recent alcohol dependence and associated with altered mood and memory

BackgroundThe adverse effects of alcohol on brain function result, in part, from inflammatory processes. The sex-specific neuropsychiatric consequences and inflammatory status of active alcohol dependence and early remission from dependence have not been investigated. MethodsNeuropsychiatric symptoms, inflammatory factors, and liver enzymes were compared in a prospective cohort study of adults with (n=51) or without (n=31) a current or recent history of alcohol dependence. ResultsNeuropsychiatric profiles were similar in adults with current or recent alcohol dependence regardless of sex. In male and female participants measures of depression (female p<0.05, male p<0.001), anxiety (female p<0.001, male p<0.001), and memory complaints (female p<0.001, male p<0.05) were elevated, relative to non-dependent controls. Significant sex×alcohol dependence history interactions were observed for plasma levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), with women in the alcohol dependent group exhibiting increased levels of both analytes (p<0.05) relative to controls. Positive correlations between TIMP-1 levels and measures of depression (r2=0.35, p<0.01), anxiety (r2=0.24, p<0.05) and memory complaints (r2=0.44, p<0.01) were found in female, but not male, participants. ConclusionsThough neuropsychiatric profiles were similar for men and women with current or recent alcohol dependence, plasma factors associated with increases in depression, anxiety, and memory impairment differed and support the need to tailor treatments based on sex.

Five-Factor Model Personality Profiles: The Differences between Alcohol and Opiate Addiction among Females.

The prevalence of female alcohol and substance abusers has markedly increased. The main objective of this research was to explore personality profiles among females who had alcohol and opiate dependence. The aim of the study is to analyse if there is differences in personality profiles of females addicted to alcohol and opiates. We hypothesized that there might be significant differences in personality profiles among subgroups of women who present with alcohol and opiate use disorders. Of 157 consecutive women with diagnosis of alcohol/opiate addiction, 62 fulfilled following inclusion criteria: age 19-45 years, abstinence from alcohol and opiates for at least 10 days prior to enrollment. Alcohol-dependent group consisted of 30 females, while opiate-dependent group consisted of 32 females. The control group involved 30 age-matched randomly chosen healthy women. The data were collected using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R). The multiple stepwise discriminant analysis was used to determine relations between personality traits and the probability of belonging to one of the study groups. Significant differences in the NEO-PI-R scores were observed between groups for all main personality traits except for Openness to Experience. Compared with controls, substance-dependent women scored significantly higher on Neuroticism and lower on Conscientiousness. Opiate-dependent females scored the highest on Neuroticism and on Extraversion and lowest on Agreeableness and on Conscientiousness. Alcohol-dependent females scored higher on Conscientiousness and lower on Neuroticism compared to opiate-dependent women. The results of our study confirmed significant characteristics in personality profiles among females with alcohol and opiate dependence, as well as the difference between these two groups of substance abusers and their healthy controls. The distinct personality characteristics among different groups of substance addicted women should be taken into account when creating the most effective program of prevention and therapeutic approaches in this specific cohort.

The comparison of temperament and character between patients with internet gaming disorder and those with alcohol dependence

Background: The differences in prevalence, natural history, and disease progression between Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and substance use disorder contribute to the controversy over IGD as a diagnosis under substance-related and addictive disorders.Aims: The purpose of the current study was to assess the temperament and character of subjects with IGD in comparison with those with alcohol dependence (AD).Methods: Temperament and character were assessed using Cloningernt temperament and character inventory (TCI). The severity of IGD or AD, depressed mood, anxiety, attention and impulsiveness were assessed using each of the six scales.Results: Among patients with AD, after controlling for other variables, the severity of AD was positively correlated with harm avoidance (HA) score and depressed mood. Among patients with IGD, after controlling for other variables, the severity of IGD was positively correlated with novelty seeking (NS) score, impulsiveness and attention.Conclusions: There were significant differences in temperament and character between the IGD and AD groups as measured using the TCI. These results suggest that IGD and AD need to be categorized separately in a diagnostic classification system and benefit from different treatment approaches.

A study on correlation between verbal memory and working memory in patients with alcohol dependence

Objective To explore the correlation between verbal memory and working memory in patients with alcohol dependence(AD). Methods A total of 40 patients with AD and 40 health controls were included in this study. N-back task was used to evaluate the verbal working memory. 20 sets of phrases were used to evaluate long-term verbal memory. Results Correct number of verbal memory in AD group ((5.15±0.92)times) was lower than that of HC group ((7.35±3.07)times) after one-week baseline test, and the difference was statistically significant (t=4.344, P<0.01). Compared with HC group ((1 436.37±192.50)ms, (1.08±0.89)times, (4.00±0.85)times, respectively), AD group((1 535.40± 192.50)ms, (1.90±1.57 )times, (2.60±1.39)times) showed significantly impaired reply reaction time of 2-back, error number of 1-back and 2-back (t=-2.112, P=0.038; t=-2.899, P=0.005; t=-5.433, P<0.01). The error number of 2-back task in AD group was negative correlated with verbal memory after one-week baseline test (r=-0.427, P=0.006). Conclusion The verbal memory is impaired in AD patients. Long-term verbal memory damage have a certain correlation with working memory. Key words: Alcohol drinking; Working memory; N-back task

Chronic alcohol administration affects purine nucleotide catabolism in vivo

AimsTo investigate the relationship between chronic alcohol administration and purine nucleotide metabolism in vivo. Main methodsRat models of alcohol dependence and withdrawal were used. The concentrations of uric acid (UAC), urea nitrogen (UREA), creatinine (CREA), and beta-2-microglobulin (β2-M) and creatinine clearance rate (CCR) in plasma were measured. The PLC method was used to detect the absolute content of purine nucleotides in different tissues. Enzymatic activities of adenosine deaminase (ADA), xanthine oxidase (XO), ribose 5-phosphate pyrophosphokinase (RPPPK), glutamine phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase (GPRPPAT), hypoxanthine-guanine phosphate ribose transferase (HGPRT), and adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) in the tissues were analyzed. Real-time PCR was used to determine the relative level of ADA and XO. Key findingsThe renal function of rats with alcohol dependence was normal. Further, the content of purine nucleotides (GMP, AMP, GTP, and ATP) in tissues of the rats was decreased, which indicated that the increased uric acid should be derived from the decomposition of nucleotides in vivo. The activity of XO and ADA increased, and their mRNA expression was enhanced in the alcohol dependence group, but there was no significant difference in the activity of RPPPK and GPRPPAT in the liver, small intestine, and muscle; furthermore, no significant difference in the activity of HGPRT and APRT was observed in the brain. SignificanceThese results indicate that chronic alcohol administration might enhance the catabolism of purine nucleotides in tissues by inducing gene expression of ADA and XO, leading to elevation of plasma uric acid levels.

The Ratio of 2nd to 4th Digit Length in Korean Alcohol-dependent Patients.

ObjectiveThe ratio of 2nd to 4th digit length (2D:4D) is a sexually dimorphic trait. Men have a relatively shorter second digit than fourth digit. This ratio is thought to be influenced by higher prenatal testosterone level or greater sensitivity to androgen. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between alcohol dependence and 2D:4D in a Korean sample and whether 2D:4D can be a biologic marker in alcohol dependence.MethodsIn this study, we recruited 87 male patients with alcohol dependence from the alcohol center of one psychiatric hospital and 52 healthy male volunteers who were all employees in the same hospital as controls. We captured images of the right and left hands of patients and controls using a scanner and extracted data with a graphics program. We measured the 2D:4D of each hand and compared the alcohol dependence group with the control group. We analyzed these ratios using an independent-samples t-test.ResultsThe mean 2D:4D of patients was 0.934 (right hand) and 0.942 (left hand), while the mean 2D:4D of controls was 0.956 (right hand) and 0.958 (left hand). Values for both hands were significantly lower for patients than controls (p<0.001, right hand; p=0.004, left hand).ConclusionPatients who are alcohol dependent have a significantly lower 2D:4D than controls, similar to the results of previous studies, which suggest that a higher prenatal testosterone level in the gonadal period is related to alcoholism. Furthermore, 2D:4D is a possible predictive marker of alcohol dependence.

Dissociated Accumbens and Hippocampal Structural Abnormalities across Obesity and Alcohol Dependence.

Background:Processing of food and drug rewards involves specific neurocircuitry, and emerging evidence implicates subcortical abnormalities, particularly the nucleus accumbens and hippocampus. We specifically hypothesized that these 2 established regions in addiction neurocircuitry are associated with distinctive in vivo structural abnormalities in obesity and alcohol dependence.Methods:To specifically investigate anatomically discrete volumetric changes associated with overconsumption of different rewards, we acquired T1 MRI data from 118 subjects in 3 groups comprising obesity (n=42), alcohol dependence (n=32), and healthy volunteer controls (n=44). To exploit novel methods of automated hippocampal subfield segmentation, we used Freesurfer software to generate volumetric data in subject groups for the hippocampal subiculum and its major striatal efferent target, the nucleus accumbens. Hypothesis-led, selective group difference comparisons were analyzed.Results:We found markedly greater accumbens volumes (P=.002) and relatively preserved hippocampal subfield volumes in obesity. Conversely, in alcohol dependence, we found preserved accumbens volumes but atrophy of specific ventral hippocampal subfields, the subiculum and presubiculum. Smaller global subcortical gray-matter volume was found in the alcohol dependence group only.Conclusions:Reward neurocircuitry including the accumbens and ventral hippocampus may show key structural abnormalities in disorders involving processing of both food and drug rewards, although the foci of disruption may vary as a function of reward modality. Structural differences may subserve altered reward and motivational processes in obesity and alcohol dependence and represent a potential biomarker for therapeutic targeting in key public health disorders.

Impulsivity in abstinent alcohol and polydrug dependence: a multidimensional approach.

RationaleDependence on drugs and alcohol is associated with impaired impulse control, but deficits are rarely compared across individuals dependent on different substances using several measures within a single study.ObjectivesWe investigated impulsivity in abstinent substance-dependent individuals (AbD) using three complementary techniques: self-report, neuropsychological and neuroimaging. We hypothesised that AbDs would show increased impulsivity across modalities, and that this would depend on length of abstinence.MethodsData were collected from the ICCAM study: 57 control and 86 AbDs, comprising a group with a history of dependence on alcohol only (n = 27) and a group with history of dependence on multiple substances (“polydrug”, n = 59). All participants completed self-report measures of impulsivity: Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, UPPS Impulsive Behaviour Scale, Behaviour Inhibition/Activation System and Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory. They also performed three behavioural tasks: Stop Signal, Intra-Extra Dimensional Set-Shift and Kirby Delay Discounting; and completed a Go/NoGo task during fMRI.ResultsAbDs scored significantly higher than controls on self-report measures, but alcohol and polydrug dependent groups did not differ significantly from each other. Polydrug participants had significantly higher discounting scores than both controls and alcohol participants. There were no group differences on the other behavioural measures or on the fMRI measure.ConclusionsThe results suggest that the current set of self-report measures of impulsivity is more sensitive in abstinent individuals than the behavioural or fMRI measures of neuronal activity. This highlights the importance of developing behavioural measures to assess different, more relevant, aspects of impulsivity alongside corresponding cognitive challenges for fMRI.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00213-016-4245-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Using [11C]Ro15 4513 PET to characterise GABA-benzodiazepine receptors in opiate addiction: Similarities and differences with alcoholism

The importance of the GABA-benzodiazepine receptor complex and its subtypes are increasingly recognised in addiction. Using the α1/α5 benzodiazepine receptor PET radioligand [11C]Ro15 4513, we previously showed reduced binding in the nucleus accumbens and hippocampus in abstinent alcohol dependence. We proposed that reduced [11C]Ro15 4513 binding in the nucleus accumbens was a marker of addiction whilst the reduction in hippocampus and positive relationship with memory was a consequence of chronic alcohol abuse. To examine this further we assessed [11C]Ro15 4513 binding in another addiction, opiate dependence, and used spectral analysis to estimate contributions of α1 and α5 subtypes to [11C]Ro15 4513 binding in opiate and previously acquired alcohol-dependent groups. Opiate substitute maintained opiate-dependent men (n=12) underwent an [11C]Ro15 4513 PET scan and compared with matched healthy controls (n=13). We found a significant reduction in [11C]Ro15 4513 binding in the nucleus accumbens in the opiate-dependent compared with the healthy control group. There was no relationship between [11C]Ro15 4513 binding in the hippocampus with memory. We found that reduced [11C]Ro15 4513 binding was associated with reduced α5 but not α1 subtypes in the opiate-dependent group. This was also seen in an alcohol-dependent group where an association between memory performance and [11C]Ro15 4513 binding was primarily driven by α5 and not α1 subtype. We suggest that reduced α5 levels in the nucleus accumbens are associated with addiction since we have now shown this in dependence to two pharmacologically different substances, alcohol and opiates.

Sexual dysfunctions in alcohol-dependent men: A study from north India.

Background & objectives:Sexual dysfunctions have been reported in alcohol-dependent men. Most of the studies conducted had limitation of using non-validated measures of sexual dysfunction and sampling design. This study was, therefore, conducted to determine the typology, demographic and clinical correlates of sexual dysfunction in alcohol-dependent men.Methods:One hundred and one patients with alcohol dependence (AD) attending the Drug De-addiction and Treatment Centre and 50 healthy controls were evaluated in this cross-sectional study. Participants in both the groups were assessed on Arizona Sexual experience scale (ASEX), Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). In addition, patients with AD were assessed on Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ) for severity of AD and revised clinical institute withdrawal assessment for alcohol scale (CIWA-Ar) to ensure that no participant was in active alcohol withdrawal state.Results:Overall, 58.4 per cent of patients in the AD group had sexual dysfunction. Among the domains, the highest frequency was seen for dysfunction for arousal (57.4%), followed by problems in desire (54.4%), erection (36.6%), satisfaction with orgasm (34.6%) and ability to reach orgasm was least affected (12.87%). The patient and control groups differed significantly in overall dyadic adjustment, in the domains of dyadic satisfaction and affective expression.Interpretation & conclusions:The finding of this study showed that a significant proportion of patients with AD has sexual dysfunction. Longitudinal studies using validated assessment tools should be done to confirm these findings.

μ-Opioid Receptor Gene (OPRM1) Polymorphisms A118G and C17T in Alcohol Dependence: A Turkish Sample

Previous investigations on opioid system genetics have identified polymorphisms of the OPRM1 gene expressing μ-opioid receptors to be significantly associated with some features of alcohol dependence (AD). In the present study, we evaluated the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the OPRM1 gene, A118G (rs1799971, Asn40Asp) and C17T (rs1799972, Arg6Val), and AD diagnosis, level of alcohol consumption, and AD severity in a Turkish sample. 121 AD patients and 117 healthy male subjects were included in the study. OPRM1 A118G (N40D) and C17T (A6V) polymorphisms were evaluated using PCR - RFLP (polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism) method. We evaluated the association between the presence of SNPs and AD diagnosis, family history of AD, AD severity evaluated via the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), the daily average and maximum quantity of alcohol consumed. There was no significant difference in OPRM1 A118G genotype frequencies between the AD and control groups. T allele frequency for the OPRM1 C17T SNP was very low (0.006) in the sample population. OPRM1 A118G SNP G118 allele carriers showed significantly higher levels of AD severity as indicated by the MAST. The OPRM1 G118 allele was significantly associated with more severe AD in the Turkish population. Similar to other European populations, the frequency of the OPRM1 T17 allele was very low.