Alcohol Clin Exp Res 20 (1): 3-8 (1996)
Harman and norharman in alcoholism: correlations with psychopathology
and
long-term changes.
Rommelspacher H, Dufeu P, Schmidt LG
Department of Neuropsychopharmacology, Free University, Berlin,
Germany.
In the search for mechanisms specific for alcoholism, it has become
evident
that beta-carbolines (BCs; e.g., harman and norharman) are compounds
that
may act on brain reward systems, thereby mediating an increase in
voluntary
ethanol (ETOH) drinking in animals. This study was undertaken to
analyze
relationships between these compounds and clinical variables (e.g.,
family
history, personality data, and affect) in alcoholics and to trace the
time
course of blood concentrations in subjects abstaining from alcohol for
at
least 6 months. Nonalcoholics were investigated during sober and
ETOH-loading conditions (1 g ETOH/kg body weight). Levels of harman
were
elevated in the chronically intoxicated alcoholics and correlated with
the
scores on the self-rating depression (SDS) and the self-rating anxiety
(SAS) scales. The group of alcoholics with at least one alcoholic
parent
had higher levels than the group without such a history. Levels
remained
elevated for 6 months. Norharman levels were only slightly elevated on
the
day of admission. They were correlated to high harm avoidance and SDS
scores. A family history of alcoholism and the severity of alcoholism
as
assessed by the number of ICD-10 criteria fulfilled were correlated
with
norharman levels. Long-term observation revealed elevated levels of
norharman after 3 months of abstinence, but not after 6 months. The
association of harman levels with anxiety and depression demonstrated
in
the present study suggests that alcoholics with high harman levels use
alcoholic beverages as self-medication in an attempt to overcome
possible
anxiogenic/depressiogenic actions of harman. Norharman levels are less
strongly associated with these mood states, but significantly
correlated to
harm avoidance tendencies. It has been suggested that the activity of
the
indolergic neurons is relatively high in individuals with a high harm
avoidance score. Biosynthesis of norharman might be stimulated under
these
conditions (tryptamine serves as precursor).
MeSH Terms:
* Adult
* Alcohol, Ethyl/pharmacokinetics
* Alcoholism/rehabilitation
* Alcoholism/psychology
* Alcoholism/genetics
* Alcoholism/blood*
* Anxiety/psychology
* Anxiety/blood
* Depression/psychology
* Depression/blood
* Harmine/blood
* Harmine/analogs & derivatives*
* Human
* Male
* Middle Age
* Motivation*
* Self Medication/psychology
* Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Substances:
* Alcohol, Ethyl
* harman
* Harmine
* norharman
PMID: 8651457, MUID: 96235366
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