Marked Decrease of Plasma Neuroactive Steroids During... : Clinical Neuropharmacology (original) (raw)

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Marked Decrease of Plasma Neuroactive Steroids During Alcohol Withdrawal

Romeo, E.; Brancati, A.; De Lorenzo, A.; Fucci, P.*; Furnari, C.*; Pompili, E.†; Sasso, G. F.‡; Spalletta, G.†; Troisi, A.†; Pasini, A.†

Departments of Physiology, †Psychiatry, *Legal Medicine, “Tor Vergata” University and ‡Center for Alcohol Abuse, “La Sapienza” University, Rome, Italy

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. E. Romeo at Università Tor Vergata, Via Alberico II n. 35, 00193 Rome, Italy.

Abstract

Summary:

The neuroactive steroids allopregnanolone (ALLO) and allotetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC) are the most potent endogenous positive modulators of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on GABAA receptors, a receptor system presumably responsible for some behavioral responses to alcohol withdrawal. In a group of nine alcoholic subjects, the levels of plasma ALLO and THDOC were markedly lower than those of control subjects during the early withdrawal phase (day 4 and 5), when anxiety and depression scores were higher. In contrast ALLO and THDOC plasma levels did not differ from those of control subjects during the late withdrawal phase when anxiety and depression scores were low. These results suggest that the decrease of neuroactive steroid biosynthesis may contribute to the withdrawal symptoms.