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Published on: January 5, 2018
Influence of GIRK channel inhibition on relapse risk in Japanese alcohol-dependent inpatients
Nagisa Sugaya1, Yasukazu Ogai, Yoichi Kakibuchi
1Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan.
Abstract:
We examined the influence of G-protein-activated inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK) channel inhibition on relapse risk in Japanese alcohol-dependent inpatients. The participants included 11 patients who received GIRK inhibition treatment and 39 patients who did not receive GIRK inhibition treatment. The participants answered a questionnaire, including the Alcohol Relapse Risk Scale (ARRS) and a questionnaire about their experiences of stressful events 2 weeks after hospitalization (time 1) and completed follow-up questionnaires 45-60 days after the first rating (time 2). A significant interaction was found between group and time on positive expectancy for alcohol scores on the ARRS (F = 5.93, p = 0.02). The scores at time 2 were lower than that at time 1 in the GIRK inhibition treatment group (p = 0.004) but not in the non-GIRK inhibition treatment group. The results of the present study suggest that GIRK inhibition treatment may improve the positive expectancy for alcohol, a component of relapse risk. The present study suggests that the effects of GIRK inhibition treatment should be investigated further in future studies.
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