PubMed Health⌕ Search
Home/Archive/PubMed

PubMed · 7901877

Recent developments in alcoholism:opioid peptides.

J C Froehlich·T K Li
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

A large body of evidence indicates that the endogenous opioid system plays an important role in maintaining alcohol drinking behavior. Research is reviewed indicating that the reinforcing properties of alcohol which lead to continued and repeated bouts of drinking are due, in part, to alcohol-induced activation of the endogenous opioid system. Opioid receptor antagonists decrease alcohol craving, alcohol consumption, and loss of control over drinking. The potential of opioid receptor antagonists to improve treatment outcome in comprehensive relapse prevention programs is discussed.

Explore related subjects

Alcohol DrinkingAlcoholismAnimalsBrainClinical Trials as TopicEndorphinsHumansNaltrexoneNeurotransmitter AgentsReceptors, OpioidJournal ArticleResearch Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.Review

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

J C Froehlich, T K Li. 1993. Recent developments in alcoholism:opioid peptides.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7901877/

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related citations

PubMed2022

FGF21 suppresses alcohol consumption through an amygdalo-striatal circuit.

Excessive alcohol consumption is a major health and social issue in our society. Pharmacologic administration of the endocrine hormone fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) suppresses alcohol consumption through actions in the brain in rodents, and genome-wide association studies have identified single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes involved with FGF21 signaling as being associated with increased alcohol consumption in humans. However, the neural circuit(s) through which FGF21 signals to suppress alcohol consumption are unknown, as are its effects on alcohol consumption in higher organisms. Here, we demonstrate that administration of an FGF21 analog to alcohol-preferring non-human primates reduces alcohol intake by 50%. Further, we reveal that FGF21 suppresses alcohol consumption through a projection-specific subpopulation of KLB-expressing neurons in the basolateral amygdala. Our results illustrate how FGF21 suppresses alcohol consumption through a specific population of neurons in the brain and demonstrate its therapeutic potential in non-human primate models of excessive alcohol consumption.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed2007

Alcohol intake and colorectal cancer risk: a dose-response meta-analysis of published cohort studies.

The epidemiologic evidence support that alcohol intake might be associated with increased colorectal cancer risk. However, the results by anatomic site in the large bowel are inconsistent. We conducted a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies published between 1990 and June 2005 on the relationship between alcohol intake and colon and rectal cancer. We quantified associations with colon and rectal cancer using meta-analysis of relative risk (RR) associated to the highest versus the lowest category of alcohol intake and meta-analysis of study-specific dose-response slopes using fixed or random effect models depending on the heterogeneity of effects among studies. Sixteen prospective cohort studies including more than 6,300 patients with colorectal cancer were eligible for inclusion. High alcohol intake was significantly associated with increased risk of colon (RR = 1.50; 95% CI = 1.25, 1.79) and rectal cancer (RR = 1.63; 95% CI = 1.35, 1.97) when comparing the highest with the lowest category of alcohol intake, equivalent to a 15% increase of risk of colon or rectal cancer for an increase of 100 g of alcohol intake per week. The relationship did not differ significantly by anatomical site (colon, rectum). Using meta-regression analysis, we identified geographical area where the study was conducted as a possible source of between-study heterogeneity of effects among studies. Lifestyle recommendations for prevention of colorectal cancer should consider limiting alcohol intake.

Alcohol Drinking↗