The interaction of alcohol and stress A review

Pohorecky, Larissa A.

doi:10.1016/0149-7634(81)90003-8

Cited by 238 publications

(79 citation statements)

References 193 publications

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“…Since acute administration of ethanol exerts anxiolytic-like effects, prolonged exposure to ethanol may produce adaptive changes in central neurons to counteract this inhibitory effect (Pohorecky, 1981;Koob and Bloom, 1988). According to this hypothesis, the absence of ethano!…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increase of extracellular corticotropin-releasing factor-like immunoreactivity levels in the amygdala of awake rats during restraint stress and ethanol withdrawal as measured by microdialysis

et al. 1995

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Previous research has suggested a role for corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the anxiogenic effects of stressful stimuli and ethanol withdrawal. This hypothesis was explored in a series of experiments using intracranial microdialysis to monitor CRF-like immunoreactivity (CRF-IR) in the extracellular compartment of the rat amygdala. The synaptic origin of CRF-IR release in the amygdala was determined in vitro by assessing the Ca2+ dependency of 4-aminopyridine stimulated CRF-IR release from tissue preparations of rat amygdala. In vivo experiments were performed in awake rats after the placement of microdialysis probes in the amygdala. In the first experiment, transient restraint stress (20 min) produced an increase of CRF-IR release (basal levels, 1.19 +/- 0.15 fmol/50 microliters; stress levels, 4.54 +/- 1.33 fmol/50 microliters; p < 0.05) that returned to basal values within 1 hr. When 4-aminopyridine (5 mM) was added to the perfusion medium, it consistently increased CRF-IR release (4.83 +/- 0.92 fmol/50 microliters, p < 0.05). In the second experiment, CRF-IR release was measured during ethanol withdrawal in rats previously maintained for 2–3 weeks on a liquid diet containing ethanol (8.5%). Basal CRF-IR levels were 2.10 +/- 0.43 fmol/50 microliters in ethanol exposed rats and 1.30 +/- 0.19 fmol/50 microliters in control rats. During withdrawal, a progressive increase of CRF-IR levels over time was observed, reaching peak values at 10–12 hr after the onset of withdrawal (10.65 +/- 0.49 fmol/50 microliters vs 1.15 +/- 0.30 fmol/50 microliters of control rats, p < 0.01).

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increase of extracellular corticotropin-releasing factor-like immunoreactivity levels in the amygdala of awake rats during restraint stress and ethanol withdrawal as measured by microdialysis

et al. 1995

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“…It has been proposed that alcohol consumption relieves anxiety and thus may help the individual to cope with stress (Hodgson et al 1979;Vogel and De Turck 1983;Pohorecky 1991). However, a number of studies indicate that alcohol can either reduce or produce anxiety (Cappell and Herman 1972;Hodgson et al 1979;Malford 1983;Cappell and Greely 1987;Pohorecky 1991), depending on the experimental conditions used, such as the dose of alcohol (Klatsky et al 1977;De Turck and Vogel 1982;Kelbaek et al 1985), prior exposure to alcohol (Ireland et al 1984;Marmot 1984) and whether or not the subject was stressed at the time of the study (Pohorecky 1981(Pohorecky , 1991. In designing studies investigating how ethanol influences stress responses, it is reasonable to investigate biological systems affected by both ethanol and stress.…”

Section: Both Genetic and Environmental Factors Such As Stress Are mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Animal studies have consistently shown that the activity of the HPA-axis increases following alcohol consumption (Pohorecky 1981). However, human studies have indicated that ingestion of high, but not low, amounts of alcohol elevate plasma cortisol levels (Schuckit et al 1987;Gianoulakis et al 1996).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Response of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis to Stress in the Absence and Presence of Ethanol in Subjects at High and Low Risk of Alcoholism,

Dai

2002

Neuropsychopharmacology

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Both genetic and environmental factors, such as stress, are important in determining alcohol consumption. Furthermore, both stress and alcohol influence the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis. Thus, the present studies investigated the response of the HPA axis to stress and the effect of ethanol on the stress response, in subjects at high (HR) and low (LR) risk of alcoholism as determined from their family history. Twenty HR and 20 LR subjects performed a stress-inducing task 30 min following the ingestion of either a placebo drink or a low dose of ethanol. The levels of plasma adrenal corticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol were measured prior to and for four hours following initiation of the treatment. Changes with time in the plasma hormone levels following ingestion of either a placebo or an ethanol drink, without the performance of the stress task, served as controls to compare the stress-induced changes. Neither the placebo nor the ethanol drink altered the plasma ACTH and cortisol concentrations. High risk subjects presented lower basal ACTH, but not cortisol, levels and a lower stress-induced increase in plasma ACTH concentration than LR subjects. Furthermore, the HR subjects presented a delayed poststress recovery of the plasma ACTH and cortisol levels. Ethanol consumption prior to the stress task attenuated (ACTH) or abolished (cortisol) the stress-induced increaseExperimental evidence indicates that both genetic and environmental factors play a significant role in determining alcohol consumption (Light et al. 1996). Studies using human subjects and experimental animals have demonstrated that stress is one of the environmental factors associated with the initiation and continuation of heavy drinking, as well as relapse (Hore 1971;Kushner et al. 1990;Pohorecky 1991;De Wit 1996;Le et al. 1998;Stewart 2000). Indeed, it has been shown that alcohol consumption increases in response to stress if The studies in the present manuscript were presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, on November 6, 2000, at New Orleans LA. Abstracts Society for Neuroscience 2000: Vol. 26, Abstract # 300.10, p.803.Address correspondence to: Christina Gianoulakis, Ph.D., Douglas Hospital Research Centre, 6875 LaSalle Blvd, Verdun, Quebec, Canada H4H 1R3. Tel.: (514) ext 5929; Fax:(514) 762-3034; E-mail: christina.gianoulakis@mcgill.ca Received July 24, 2001; revised November 26, 2001; accepted February 8, 2002. Online publication: 2/14/02 at www.acnp.org/citations/Npp 021402245.N EUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY 2002 -VOL . 27 , NO . 3 Ethanol, Stress, the HPA Axis, and Family History of Alcoholism 443 other forms of support, such as social and family support, are not present (Pohorecky 1991;Johnson and Jennison 1994). The mechanisms underlying the relationship between stress and alcohol consumption are not well understood. It has been proposed that alcohol consumption relieves anxiety and thus may help the individual to cope with stress (Hodgson et al. 1979;Vogel and De Turck 198...

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“…This class of drugs enhances g aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission by binding to benzodiazepine receptors in the GABA A receptor complex and augmenting response to GABA (as reviewed by Wilson, 1996). Another drug that enhances GABA A receptor function is ethanol (Nie et al, 2004;Nestoros, 1980;Macdonald, 1995), a drug commonly abused by individuals suffering from depression and anxiety (for reviews, see Eckardt et al, 1998;Pohorecky, 1981). Both these drugs are known to be anxiolytic in humans and produce reductions in anxietylike behavior in several animal models of behavior (Wilson et al, 2004;Pellow et al, 1985;Eckardt et al, 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microinjection of Naltrexone into the Central, but not the Basolateral, Amygdala Blocks the Anxiolytic Effects of Diazepam in the Plus Maze

Burghardt

Wilson

2005

Neuropsychopharmacol

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The amygdala is involved in behavioral and physiological responses to fear, and the anxiolytic properties of several drugs are localized to this region. Activation of endogenous opioid systems is known to occur in response to stress and a growing body of literature suggests that opioid systems regulate the properties of anxiolytic drugs. These experiments sought to elucidate the role of opioid receptors in the central (CeA) and basolateral (BLA) nuclei of the amygdala in regulating the anxiolytic properties of ethanol and diazepam. Male rats fitted with cannula received bilateral microinjections of the nonselective opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone (NAL) immediately followed by systemic delivery of either ethanol (1 g/kg) or diazepam (2 mg/kg) in the elevated plus maze. Both diazepam and ethanol decreased anxiety-like behavior. Delivery of NAL into the CeA blocked the anxiolytic properties of diazepam. Delivery of NAL into the BLA slightly increased open arm avoidance, but had no effect on the anxiolytic properties of diazepam. Microinjection of NAL into either nucleus failed to block the effects of ethanol. These results were specific to the anxiolytic properties of diazepam, since baseline behaviors were unaffected by microinjection of NAL. Microinjection of lidocaine produced results distinct from NAL and failed to block the anxiolytic actions of diazepam. These studies indicate distinct roles for opioid receptor systems in the CeA and BLA in regulating the anxiolytic properties of diazepam in the elevated plus maze. Further, opioid receptor systems in the CeA and BLA do not regulate the anxiolytic properties of ethanol in this test.

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The interaction of alcohol and stress A review

Cited by 238 publications

References 193 publications

Increase of extracellular corticotropin-releasing factor-like immunoreactivity levels in the amygdala of awake rats during restraint stress and ethanol withdrawal as measured by microdialysis

Increase of extracellular corticotropin-releasing factor-like immunoreactivity levels in the amygdala of awake rats during restraint stress and ethanol withdrawal as measured by microdialysis

Response of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis to Stress in the Absence and Presence of Ethanol in Subjects at High and Low Risk of Alcoholism,

Microinjection of Naltrexone into the Central, but not the Basolateral, Amygdala Blocks the Anxiolytic Effects of Diazepam in the Plus Maze

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