BACKGROUND: The capacity of alcohol cues to precipitate the desire to drink may be an important determinant of relapse to alcohol use in recovering alcohol-dependent patients. This study evaluated whether attenuation of serotonin synthesis via depletion of its precursor tryptophan reduces the magnitude of cue-induced craving for alcohol in recently abstinent alcoholic individuals. METHODS: Alcohol-dependent patients (n = 16), 1 to 3 months after detoxification, who exhibited a 20% or greater increase in reported craving when presented with an alcoholic beverage, completed two additional alcohol cue-exposure test days, 1 week apart. Each cue exposure was preceded by administration of a concentrated amino acid drink that resulted in a rapid and significant decline in plasma free tryptophan (active depletion, no tryptophan supplementation) or a similar drink containing tryptophan (placebo depletion). Tests were conducted in a randomized, double-blind fashion. RESULTS: There were no significant changes in the magnitude of cue-induced craving with active tryptophan depletion compared with placebo. CONCLUSIONS: These data question the dependence of alcohol cue-induced craving in sober alcoholics on the ongoing synthesis of serotonin.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: The capacity of alcohol cues to precipitate the desire to drink may be an important determinant of relapse to alcohol use in recovering alcohol-dependent patients. This study evaluated whether attenuation of serotonin synthesis via depletion of its precursor tryptophan reduces the magnitude of cue-induced craving for alcohol in recently abstinent alcoholic individuals. METHODS:Alcohol-dependent patients (n = 16), 1 to 3 months after detoxification, who exhibited a 20% or greater increase in reported craving when presented with an alcoholic beverage, completed two additional alcohol cue-exposure test days, 1 week apart. Each cue exposure was preceded by administration of a concentrated amino acid drink that resulted in a rapid and significant decline in plasma free tryptophan (active depletion, no tryptophan supplementation) or a similar drink containing tryptophan (placebo depletion). Tests were conducted in a randomized, double-blind fashion. RESULTS: There were no significant changes in the magnitude of cue-induced craving with active tryptophan depletion compared with placebo. CONCLUSIONS: These data question the dependence of alcohol cue-induced craving in sober alcoholics on the ongoing synthesis of serotonin.
Authors: Ismene L Petrakis; Stephanie O'Malley; Bruce Rounsaville; James Poling; Colette McHugh-Strong; John H Krystal Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2003-11-21 Impact factor: 4.530
Authors: Amira Pierucci-Lagha; Richard Feinn; Vania Modesto-Lowe; Robert Swift; Maggie Nellissery; Jonathan Covault; Henry R Kranzler Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2003-09-10 Impact factor: 4.530
Authors: D Dickerson; B Pittman; E Ralevski; A Perrino; D Limoncelli; J Edgecombe; G Acampora; J H Krystal; I Petrakis Journal: J Psychopharmacol Date: 2008-11-21 Impact factor: 4.153