Neuroendocrine responses to fenfluramine and its relationship to personality in alcoholism

This study investigates the relationship between personality and serotonergic reactivity in alcohol dependence. Personality characteristics were assessed according to the Temperament and Character model of Cloninger, the five-factor model of McCrae and Costa, Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking as we...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Neural Transmission 2001-01, Vol.108 (8-9), p.1093-1105
Main Authors: WEIJERS, H.-G, WIESBECK, G. A, JAKOB, F, BÖNING, J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Alcohol-Induced Disorders, Nervous System - blood
Alcoholism - blood
Alcoholism - physiopathology
Alcoholism - psychology
Alcoholism and acute alcohol poisoning
Anxiety - blood
Anxiety - chemically induced
Anxiety - physiopathology
Biological and medical sciences
Brain - drug effects
Brain - metabolism
Brain - physiopathology
Extraversion (Psychology)
Fear - drug effects
Fear - physiology
Fenfluramine - pharmacology
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Neurosecretory Systems - drug effects
Neurosecretory Systems - metabolism
Personality - drug effects
Personality - physiology
Personality Assessment
Prolactin - blood
Prolactin - secretion
Serotonin - metabolism
Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors - pharmacology
Synaptic Transmission - drug effects
Synaptic Transmission - physiology
Toxicology
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Summary:This study investigates the relationship between personality and serotonergic reactivity in alcohol dependence. Personality characteristics were assessed according to the Temperament and Character model of Cloninger, the five-factor model of McCrae and Costa, Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking as well as Eysenck's impulsiveness/venturesomeness. Placebo-controlled prolactin response to the serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor/releaser fenfluramine served as an indicator for the reactivity of serotonergic neurotransmission. Forty abstinent alcohol-dependent men were subdivided into high and low prolactin responders according to their level of neuroendocrine response. High responders were characterized by decreased harm avoidance while their extraversion and venturesomeness scores were increased in comparison to low responders. The data demonstrates that harm avoidance on the one hand and extraversion/venturesomeness on the other are inversely correlated to serotonergic neurotransmission. These results support a specific relationship between personality traits and the serotonergic system.
ISSN:0300-9564
1435-1463
DOI:10.1007/s007020170027