[Hormones of stress-response system in alcohol dependence: the ability to predict duration of remission]

Hormones, oxidized proteins, and lipids in alcoholism. Duration of remission

The instability of remission in alcohol dependence (AD) creates a need to search for criteria for predicting its duration. The aim of study was to determine the hormones, oxidized proteins, and lipids in patients with AD, and the possible relations between these parameters and the duration of remission. Blood samples were obtained from 49 male patients with AD after alcohol detoxification (Total group). Two groups of patients were formed: with unstable therapeutic remission up to 6 months (UTR-group); with stable therapeutic remission which lasted 12 months or longer (STR-group). The control group comprised men without AD. The levels of carbonylated proteins (CP), lipid peroxidation (TBA-RS) were determined in the blood plasma. The levels of cortisol, testosterone total, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine free (fT3), and thyroxine free (fT4) in the blood serum were measured. The Total group of patients showed an increase in CP, TBA-RS, Cortisol, cortisol/testosterone ratio, and a decrease in TSH, fT3, and fT3/fT4 levels. A set of parameters (T, fT3, fT4, cortisol/testosterone ratio) associated with unstable remission was identified.

[The role of functional brain activity in the impairment of inhibitory control in alcohol dependence]

OBJECTIVE

Determination of differences in brain function in alcohol-dependent patients with varying degrees of inhibitory control impairment.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Seventy-five patients with alcohol dependence were examined. The level of inhibitory control was assessed using the Go/No-go test. The background electric activity of the brain was recorded, and the values of spectral power and coherence of theta, alpha, and beta rhythms were analyzed. Two groups of patients - 24 with- and 51 without inhibitory control impairment - were determined.

RESULTS

According to the spectral analysis, high values of alpha rhythm in the frontal-central-parietal-occipital and beta rhythm in the central and left occipital cortex, low values of theta rhythm in the posterior-temporal regions were common for patients with inhibitory control impairment. Visual analysis of the EEG in patients with inhibitory control impairment shows a smoothing of zonal differences in the alpha rhythm, which is not found in patients without the disturbance of inhibitory control. Patients with inhibitory control impairment were characterized by an increase in interhemispheric connections in the alpha and beta frequency ranges and a weakening of intrahemispheric connections on the right in the theta rhythm range.

CONCLUSION

There are significant differences in the functioning of the brain in patients with alcoholism, depending on the presence / absence of inhibitory control impairment.