Abstract
A significant challenge for understanding alcoholism lies in discovering why some, but not other individuals, become dependent
on alcohol. Genetic, environmental, cultural, developmental, and neurobiological influences are recognized as essential factors
underlying a person’s risk for becoming alcohol dependent (AD); however, the neurobiological processes that trigger this vulnerability
are still poorly understood. Hormones are important in the regulation of many functions and several hormones are strongly
associated with alcohol use. While medical consequences are important, the primary focus of this review is on the underlying
confluence of appetitive/feeding, reproductive and posterior pituitary hormones associated with distinct phases of alcoholism
or assessed by alcohol craving in humans. While these hormones are of diverse origin, the involvement with alcoholism by these
hormone systems is unmistakable, and demonstrates the complexity of interactions with alcohol and the difficulty of successfully
pursuing effective treatments. Whether alcohol associated changes in the activity of certain hormones are the result of alcohol
use or are the result of an underlying predisposition for alcoholism, or a combination of both, is currently of great scientific
interest. The evidence we present in this review suggests that appetitive hormones may be markers as they appear involved
in alcohol dependence and craving, that reproductive hormones provide an example of the consequences of drinking and are affected
by alcohol, and that posterior pituitary hormones have potential for being targets for treatment. A better understanding of
the nature of these associations may contribute to diagnosing and more comprehensively treating alcoholism. Pharmacotherapies
that take advantage of our new understanding of hormones, their receptors, or their potential relationship to craving may
shed light on the treatment of this disorder.
on alcohol. Genetic, environmental, cultural, developmental, and neurobiological influences are recognized as essential factors
underlying a person’s risk for becoming alcohol dependent (AD); however, the neurobiological processes that trigger this vulnerability
are still poorly understood. Hormones are important in the regulation of many functions and several hormones are strongly
associated with alcohol use. While medical consequences are important, the primary focus of this review is on the underlying
confluence of appetitive/feeding, reproductive and posterior pituitary hormones associated with distinct phases of alcoholism
or assessed by alcohol craving in humans. While these hormones are of diverse origin, the involvement with alcoholism by these
hormone systems is unmistakable, and demonstrates the complexity of interactions with alcohol and the difficulty of successfully
pursuing effective treatments. Whether alcohol associated changes in the activity of certain hormones are the result of alcohol
use or are the result of an underlying predisposition for alcoholism, or a combination of both, is currently of great scientific
interest. The evidence we present in this review suggests that appetitive hormones may be markers as they appear involved
in alcohol dependence and craving, that reproductive hormones provide an example of the consequences of drinking and are affected
by alcohol, and that posterior pituitary hormones have potential for being targets for treatment. A better understanding of
the nature of these associations may contribute to diagnosing and more comprehensively treating alcoholism. Pharmacotherapies
that take advantage of our new understanding of hormones, their receptors, or their potential relationship to craving may
shed light on the treatment of this disorder.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Review
- Pages 1-18
- DOI 10.1007/s11065-012-9209-y
- Authors
- George A. Kenna, Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Box G-S121-5, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Robert M. Swift, Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Box G-S121-5, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Thomas Hillemacher, Center for Addiction Research (CARe), Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Lorenzo Leggio, Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Box G-S121-5, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Journal Neuropsychology Review
- Online ISSN 1573-6660
- Print ISSN 1040-7308