Comparative Psychophysiological Studies of Alcoholic and Nonalcoholic Subjects Undergoing Experimentally Induced Ethanol Intoxication

Craving for Alcohol, Loss of Control, and Relapse: A Cognitive-Behavioral Analysis

“…In addition, the alcoholic1s memory of the long-range effects may be impaired because of blackouts and state-dependent learning effects (cf., Overton, 1971). In a series of studies by Mendelson and his colleagues (e.g., McGuire, Mendelson and Stein, 1966;Tamerin, Weiner and Mendelson, 1970), alcoholics were asked to describe their initial expectancies about the effects of alcohol on their feelings and moods prior to a scheduled period of drinking in a research ward setting. Almost all the subjects anticipated that alcohol would make them feel more relaxed, more comfortable, and less depressed.…”

Is withdrawal-induced anxiety in alcoholism based on β-endorphin deficiency?

“…During the period of increasing bE levels after alcohol consumption, subjects usually have feelings of euphoria, relaxation, and general well being (Lukas and Mendelson 1988). However, when blood alcohol exceeds these concentrations or declines, a majority of subjects experiences depression and anxiety due to decreasing bE levels (McGuire et al 1966). Additionally, alcohol and the use of opioid substances were suggested to be a form of self-medication to reduce anxiety, since anxiety disorders are also related to a deficiency in the endogenous opioid system (Sher 1998).…”

Hair Cortisol Concentrations Are Associated with Hair Growth Rate

“…These well-established methods have been commonly used to evaluate the stress status for >24 h (urinary cortisol). Acute cortisol concentrations from these measures are highly variable, both by the nature of physiological cortisol production as well as many external factors, including psychological or physiological stressors, diurnal variability, and even smoking or alcohol consumption [32][33][34][35][36] . Therefore, it is difficult to obtain the valid assessments for longer-term cortisol production without repetitive sampling due to technical limitations of measurements in blood, saliva, or urine.…”