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Anxiety and alcoholism: a serotonin link
1Department of Psychiatry, St Paul-Ramsey Medical Center, Minnesota 55101.
The British Journal of Psychiatry. Supplement
|September 1, 1991
Summary
Boosting serotonin neurotransmission reduces alcohol consumption, while depletion increases it. Serotonin-targeting drugs like buspirone show promise for treating alcoholism and anxiety disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission plays a crucial role in regulating alcohol consumption.
- Both augmentation and depletion of serotonin levels significantly impact alcohol use.
- Serotonin dysfunction is implicated in various behavioral disorders, including anxiety and alcoholism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of serotonin in alcohol consumption.
- To evaluate the efficacy of serotonin-specific agents in reducing alcohol intake.
- To explore serotonin as a potential common therapeutic target for anxiety and alcoholism.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing pharmacological studies on serotonin and alcohol consumption.
- Analysis of the effects of serotonin receptor agonists and antagonists.
- Examination of clinical data on drugs like buspirone in anxious alcoholic patients.
Main Results:
- Augmenting serotonin neurotransmission was found to attenuate alcohol consumption.
- Depletion of serotonin was associated with enhanced alcohol use.
- The 5-HT1A receptor agonist buspirone demonstrated a reduction in alcohol desire in anxious alcoholic individuals.
Conclusions:
- Serotonin neurotransmission is a key factor in modulating alcohol consumption.
- Serotonin-specific drugs, including azapirones, show potential as adjunct therapies for substance abuse.
- Serotonin may serve as a unifying neurochemical target for treating comorbid anxiety and alcoholism.