Hormonal, psychological, and alcohol craving changes after m-chlorophenylpiperazine administration in alcoholics

To assess the serotonergic function of alcoholics, their neuroendocrine and psychological responsivities to the serotonergic partial agonist meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP) was compared with the responsitivity of healthy subjects. The effect of m-CPP on craving for alcohol was also assessed in the alcoholics. Sixteen patients and 14 controls were tested under double-blind, placebo-controlled conditions. m-CPP (0.5 mg/kg of body weight) was given orally. Alcoholics were tested after a period of abstinence of 15 to 39 days. The two groups of subjects did not differ in their cortisol response to m-CPP, but the prolactin response of alcoholics was significantly blunted. Alcoholics reported a significantly more intense "high" feeling after m-CPP than the healthy subjects. m-CPP induced also a decreased craving for alcohol. Our data thus provide further evidence for the existence of a serotonergic dysfunction in alcoholics and a modulation of craving for alcohol by serotonergic systems.