Behavioral and neuroendocrine responses to m-chlorophenylpiperazine in subtypes of alcoholics and in healthy comparison subjects

• Published in: The American journal of psychiatry 1997-01, Vol.154 (1), p.81-87
• Main Authors: GEORGE, D. T, BENKELFAT, C, RAWLINGS, R. R, ECKARDT, M. J, PHILLIPS, M. J, NUTT, D. J, WYNNE, D, MURPHY, D. L, LINNOILA, M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone - blood; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Age of Onset; Alcohol Drinking - psychology; Alcoholism; Alcoholism - diagnosis; Alcoholism - physiopathology; Alcoholism - psychology; Anger - drug effects; Antisocial Personality Disorder - classification; Antisocial Personality Disorder - diagnosis; Anxiety - psychology; Behavior; Biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Endocrine system; Euphoria - drug effects; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neurology; Piperazines - pharmacology; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Receptors, Serotonin - drug effects; Receptors, Serotonin - physiology; Serotonin Receptor Agonists - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0002-953X; 1535-7228
• DOI: 10.1176/ajp.154.1.81

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore central serotonergic functions in subgroups of alcoholics and in healthy comparison subjects. METHOD: The mixed serotonin (5-HT) agonist/antagonist m-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP) was administered to male alcoholic patients who were classified according to the criteria of von Knorring et al. as type I alcoholics (late onset) (N = 16) or type II alcoholics (early onset with antisocial traits) (N = 24) and to 22 healthy comparison subjects. Psychological, physiological, and neuroendocrine measures were obtained before and after the m-CPP infusion. RESULTS: m-CPP elicited subtype-related differential effects among the alcoholics; the type I alcoholics reported more anger and anxiety, and the type II alcoholics reported increased euphoria and a greater likelihood of drinking. The healthy comparison subjects exhibited a greater increase in plasma ACTH response to the m-CPP infusion than the alcoholics regardless of subtype. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in certain 5-HT receptor functions may explain some of the clinical characteristics that differentiate the type II and type I subgroups of alcoholic patients. Furthermore, alcoholics may have reduced sensitivity of 5-HT2C receptors in comparison with healthy subjects.