Possible Interaction: Ethanol and Serotonin

“ConclusionsA 5-mg dose of zolmitriptan effectively reduced alcohol-related aggression in an acute dosing protocol, demonstrating an interaction of 5-HT and alcohol in human aggressive behavior.”

“Our results reveal that compensation can occur on the circuit level and that serotonin has a bidirectional function in modulating the innate attraction to ethanol.”

“Sequence variation within serotonin system genes, for example, a repeat polymorphism in the transcriptional control region of the monoamine oxidase gene (MAOA‐LPR), increases the propensity for adolescent males to consume alcohol.”

“On the basis of the above statements, it is suggested that, at the biological level, alcohol may induce aggressive behaviour in susceptible individuals, at least in part, by inducing a strong depletion of brain serotonin levels.”

“One theory suggests that the effects of alcohol on the circadian pacemaker are mediated in part by alterations in serotonin , an important chemical involved in cellular communication within the circadian system.”

“by Jennifer D. Thomas and Edward P. Riley; (2) Brain damage and neuroplasticity in an animal model of binge alcohol … Y. Klintsova, and William T. Greenough; (3) Ganglioside GM1 reduces fetal alcohol effects, by Basalingappa L. Hungund; and (4) Fetal alcohol … serotonin system at mid-gestation, … Ting-Kai Li.”

“Except in the first hour after lights were turned off, ethanol was consumed at a relatively even pace throughout … at the low mM range which rarely exceeded 2 mM. These results suggest that the biochemical pathway that catalyzes 5-HT … ethanol and can play an … ethanol during alcohol detoxification.”

“In oocytes expressing mutant receptors, ethanol (50 to 200 mM) enhanced the currents produced by low concentrations of 5-HT by approximately 5 to 45%, which was not statistically different from the potentiation produced by ethanol in wild-type receptors.”

“The function of the 5-hydroxytryptamine3 (5-HT3) receptor is enhanced by ethanol , but the amino acid residue(s) that confers sensitivity to ethanol remains to be identified.”

“Acutely, ethanol depletes brain serotonin in normal subjects, which may explain alcohol-induced aggression in susceptible individuals and also the incidence of depression in alcoholism.”

“Alcoholics and experimental animals that consume large quantities of alcohol show evidence of differences in brain serotonin levels compared with nonalcoholics.”

“ Serotonin , along with other neurotransmitters, also may contribute to alcohol’s intoxicating and rewarding effects, and abnormalities in the brain’s serotonin system appear to play an important role in the brain processes underlying alcohol abuse.”