CSF NEUROPEPTIDES AND PROSTAGLANDINS IN ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL AND BRAIN DISEASE

酒精戒断症状的严重程度被量化， 华盛顿神经科病房收治的酗酒者， 特区退伍军人医院 脑脊液（CSF）样本 在退出期间早期反复获得， 症状已经消退。 单胺的浓度 神经递质去甲肾上腺素及其主要代谢产物MHPG 在NIH进行测量。 显著正相关 观察到去甲肾上腺素周转指数升高， 有几个戒酒的迹象 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 在戒酒期间。 因此，我们测量肽， 已知参与调节 去甲肾上腺素能突触的功能，同时 去甲肾上腺素 我们将这些物质的浓度 去甲肾上腺素和MHPG浓度的神经调节剂 在CSF中，以及我们的戒断症状的严重程度 患者 我们在六年内完成了这一阶段的研究。 我们的目标是将样本量增加到15名患者。

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. 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. We have completed this phase of the study in six patients and are aiming to increase our sample size to fifteen.