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Sensation seeking, alcoholism and dopamine activity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

GA Wiesbeck ,
N Wodarz ,
C Mauerer ,
J Thome ,
F Jakob  and
J Boening
GA Wiesbeck
Affiliation:
Psychiatric University Clinic, Addiction Research Group, University of Wuerzburg, Fuechsleinstr 15, 97080Wuerzburg, Germany
N Wodarz
Affiliation:
Psychiatric University Clinic, Addiction Research Group, University of Wuerzburg, Fuechsleinstr 15, 97080Wuerzburg, Germany
C Mauerer
Affiliation:
Psychiatric University Clinic, Addiction Research Group, University of Wuerzburg, Fuechsleinstr 15, 97080Wuerzburg, Germany
J Thome
Affiliation:
Psychiatric University Clinic, Addiction Research Group, University of Wuerzburg, Fuechsleinstr 15, 97080Wuerzburg, Germany
F Jakob
Affiliation:
Psychiatric University Clinic, Addiction Research Group, University of Wuerzburg, Fuechsleinstr 15, 97080Wuerzburg, Germany
J Boening
Affiliation:
Psychiatric University Clinic, Addiction Research Group, University of Wuerzburg, Fuechsleinstr 15, 97080Wuerzburg, Germany
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Summary

Sensation seeking scale (SSS) scores were determined in 15 alcohol dependent men with a positive family history for alcoholism (FHP), in 15 alcohol dependent men with a negative family history for alcoholism (FHN) and in 15 well-matched healthy male controls (CONTR). Both FHPs and FHNs suffered from longlasting alcohol dependence meeting ICD-10 and DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria. Dopamine activity was neuroendocrinologically assessed by measuring the amount of growth hormone released after stimulation with the dopamine receptor agonist apomorphine. Planned comparisons within a one-way ANOVA yielded significantly elevated levels of boredom susceptibility (BOS) in both FHPs and FHNs against CONTRs. SSS total scores, while approaching statistical significance, were elevated in FHPs only. Partial correlations (controlling for age, body weight, alcohol intake and duration of dependence) were calculated to examine the relationship between SSS and dopamine activity. Among the SSS subtraits, BOS revealed the highest correlation in each group. However, only in CONTRs did the relationship between BOS and dopamine activity reach statistical significance.

Keywords

sensation seekingalcohol dependencedopamine receptor sensitivityfamily history for alcoholism

Information

Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 11 , Issue 2 , 1996 , pp. 87 - 92
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier, Paris 1996

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