Possible Interaction: Ethanol and Ghrelin

“Based on the finding that ghrelin modulates mesolimbic reactivity to alcohol cues , the following should be considered: If alcohol craving and the appetitive status were interrelated, this has to be taken into account when implementing fMRI studies for addictive disorders.”

“Aims Evidence indicates that feeding-related peptides, such as ghrelin , have a role in the rewarding properties of addictive substances like alcohol.”

“Fasting ghrelin levels also predict subjective behavioral effects of alcohol.”

“Short summary Intravenous alcohol infusion (low dose and high dose of al ohol) w hen compared to placebo (saline) significantly suppresses ghr elin in healthy social drinkers.”

“The percent change (%∆) in AG suppression was substantial in both high dose (43.4%∆), and low dose (39.5%∆) of alcohol.”

“This study is the first to show that ghrelin predicts subjective effects of alcohol , suggesting that ghrelin may have a role in the rewarding mechanisms for alcohol.”

“Extensive literature demonstrates that ghrelin , the only known orexigenic neuropeptide to date, enhances reward as well as the intake of alcohol , and other drugs of abuse, while ghrelin receptor antagonism has the opposite effects.”

“Results showed that ethanol increased plasma and hepatic triglyceride and cholesterol content, and affected plasma levels of insulin, adiponectin, leptin, and ghrelin.”

“There is a hypothesis that ghrelin could take part in the central effects of alcohol as well as function as a peripheral indicator of the changes which occur during long‐term alcohol consumption.”

“Therefore, the reward-related feeding of ghrelin may reveal itself as an important factor in the development of addiction to certain foods, similar to its involvement in the dependence to drugs of abuse, including alcohol.”

“Finally, recent evidence shows that corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), agouti-related protein (AgRP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), and ghrelin are also implicated as impacting this pattern of ethanol consumption.”

“Further, direct injection of ghrelin into the brain ventricles or into the VTA increases the consumption of rewarding foods as well as alcohol in mice and rats.”

“Both animal and human studies provide evidence that ghrelin not only influences hunger but also has a role in the search for rewarding substances, such as alcohol.”

“Human studies show that ethanol acutely affects ghrelin levels.”

“ IV ghrelin blunted the positive association between alcohol sedation and hangover as shown by trend‐level drug × sedation effect (p = 0.08).”

“ IV ghrelin , compared to placebo, significantly reduced alcohol hangover after IV‐ASA (p = 0.04) and alcohol clamp (p = 0.04); PF‐5190457 had no significant effect on AHS scores.”