Background: Preclinical evidences support the hypothesis of a serotonergic dysfunction in alcohol preference. In human, studies have demonstrated a serotonergic hypoactivity in alcoholism. However, little is known about the role of 5-HT1A receptors.
Methods: We assessed the hormonal (prolactin and cortisol) responses to flesinoxan (a highly potent and selective 5-HT1A agonist) in 12 male inpatients meeting DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence, 3 weeks after the last reported use of alcohol and antidepressants. These patients were compared to 10 male controls.
Results: There was a highly significant difference between alcoholic patients and controls for the area under the curve relative (AUCr) values of prolactin responses. AUCr values of cortisol responses to flesinoxan showed a trend towards lower values in alcoholics compared to controls.
Conclusion: These results support the implication of the serotonergic system, and particularly a decreased sensitivity of post-synaptic 5-HT1A receptors, in alcoholism.
Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.