Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (40)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by VESCOVI, P. P.
Right arrow Articles by PASSERI, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by VESCOVI, P. P.
Right arrow Articles by PASSERI, M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 1992 Medical Council on Alcohol

research-article

RAPID COMMUNICATION: PLASMA ß-ENDORPHIN, BUT NOT MET-ENKEPHALIN LEVELS ARE ABNORMAL IN CHRONIC ALCOHOLICS

P. P. VESCOVI*, V. COIRO*, R. VOLPI*, A. GIANNINI{dagger} and M. PASSERI*

*Cattedra di Clinica Medica Generale e Terapia Medica, Universitá di Parma Via A. Gramsci 14, 43100 Parma, Italy
{dagger}Servizio di Medicina d'Urgenza USL no. 4 Parma, Parma, Italy

Received 22 April 1992; first review notified 6 July 1992; accepted 29 July 1992

Plasma ß-endorphin, met-enkephalin and ACTH concentrations were measured in 20 male alcoholics (age: 32–60 yr; duration of ethanol addiction: 13.2 ± 6.2 yr; mean ± SE) immediately after admission to the hospital (at a time not exceeding 8 hr from the last ethanol consumption) and after 5 weeks of forced abstinence. The results were compared with those obtained in 12 age-matched normal controls. Plasma ACTH and met-enkephalin levels were normal in alcoholics on both occasions. In contrast, in samples taken at admission to the hospital, the circulating concentrations of ß-endorphin in alcoholics were half (17.1 ± 5.3 pg/ml; mean ± SE) of those observed in the normal controls (34.1 ± 6.0). ß-endorphin levels rose significantly after 5 weeks of abstinence (30.1 ± 4.9); at this time, they were not significantly different from those observed in normal controls. These data indicate that acute alcohol consumption induces significant alterations in plasma ß-endorphin, but not met-enkephalin levels, which are reversed after 5 weeks of abstinence.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Immunol.Home page
N. Boyadjieva, M. Dokur, J. P. Advis, G. G. Meadows, and D. K. Sarkar
Chronic Ethanol Inhibits NK Cell Cytolytic Activity: Role of Opioid Peptide {beta}-Endorphin
J. Immunol., November 15, 2001; 167(10): 5645 - 5652.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Alcohol AlcoholHome page
E. Esel, S. Sofuoglu, S. S. Aslan, M. Kula, I. Yabanoglu, and M. T. Turan
PLASMA LEVELS OF BETA-ENDORPHIN, ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE AND CORTISOL DURING EARLY AND LATE ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL
Alcohol Alcohol., November 1, 2001; 36(6): 572 - 576.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Alcohol AlcoholHome page
C. K. Farren and K. F. Tipton
TRAIT MARKERS FOR ALCOHOLISM: CLINICAL UTILITY
Alcohol Alcohol., September 1, 1999; 34(5): 649 - 665.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.