The de los An aromatase (CYP19A1) polymorphism is associated with compulsive craving of male patients during alcohol withdrawal

• Published in: Psychoneuroendocrinology 2011-09, Vol.36 (8), p.1261-1264
• Main Authors: Lenz, Bernd, Heberlein, Annemarie, Bayerlein, Kristina, Frieling, Helge, Kornhuber, Johannes, Bleich, Stefan, Hillemacher, Thomas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0306-4530
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.02.010

Alcoholism is associated with alterations of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal hormone axis. We recently reported a leptin-mediated relation between the CAGn polymorphism of the androgen receptor and craving during alcohol withdrawal. This study investigated whether the de los An polymorphism of the aromatase (CYP19A1) is equally linked to craving. An association between de los An and compulsive craving (p = 0.029) was revealed in our sample of 118 male alcohol addicts at day of hospital admission. Genotype-dependent subgroups showed differences in that the patients with short alleles suffered from lower compulsive craving during withdrawal than those with the longer alleles (p = 0.027). The additional inclusion of leptin revealed no further significant association in the present study. Our finding is a further step on the way to elucidate the genesis of craving for alcohol with its extensive underlying interactions of different genetic and non-genetic factors. Future investigations should enrol women and consider sex hormone levels for further clarification of the observed de los An-craving relationship.