CSF NEUROPEPTIDES AND PROSTAGLANDINS IN ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL AND BRAIN DISEASE

酒精戒断症状的严重程度在酗酒者中被量化 住进了华盛顿特区退伍军人医院的神经科病房。 早期反复采集脑脊液(CSF)样本 戒断后，所有症状都消退了。的浓度。 单胺类神经递质去甲肾上腺素及其主要代谢物MHPG 在美国国立卫生研究院进行了测量。观察到显著的正相关。 在去甲肾上腺素周转率升高的指标和几个指标之间 戒酒。关于去甲肾上腺素发现的手稿已在 刊登在《普通精神病学档案》上。我们正在继续这项工作 试图找出去甲肾上腺素能失调的原因 戒酒。因此，我们正在测量多肽和前列腺素， 已知参与去甲肾上腺素能功能的调节 与去甲肾上腺素同时突触。我们正在将 这些神经调节剂对去甲肾上腺素浓度的影响 脑脊液中MHPG和戒断症状的严重程度 病人。

Severity of withdrawal symptoms from alcohol was quantified in alcoholics admitted to the Neurology Ward of the Washington, D.C. VA Hospital. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were repeatedly obtained early during withdrawal and after all symptoms had subsided. Concentrations of the monoamine neurotransmitter norepinephrine and its major metabolite MHPG were measured at NIH. Significant positive correlations were observed between indices of elevated norepinephrine turnover and several signs of alcohol withdrawal. A manuscript on the norepinephrine findings is in press in Archives of General Psychiatry. We are continuing this work trying to identify causes for the noradrenergic dysregulation during alcohol withdrawal. Thus, we are measuring peptides and prostaglandins, known to participate in the regulation of the functioning of noradrenergic synapses simultaneously with norepinephrine. We are correlating the concentrations of these neuromodulators to concentrations of norepinephrine and MHPG in the CSF and to the severity of withdrawal symptoms in our patients.