Abstract
BACKGROUND: Heavy alcohol use as well as alcohol dependence (AD) have been associated with dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis and the autonomic nervous system (ANS). However, the relative contribution of alcohol use and AD is unclear.
METHODS: Baseline data were derived from 2947 persons of the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), including non-drinkers (n=498), moderate drinkers (n=2112) and heavy drinkers (n=337). We also distinguished between persons with no lifetime DSM-IV AD (n=2496), remitted AD (> 1 year; n = 243), and current AD (≤ 1 year; n=208). ANS measures included ECG-based heart rate (HR), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA, high RSA reflecting high cardiac parasympathetic control) and pre-ejection period (PEP, high PEP reflecting low cardiac sympathetic control). HPA-axis measures included the cortisol awakening response (area under the curve with respect to the ground [AUCg] and increase [AUCi]), evening cortisol and a 0.5mg dexamethasone suppression test, all measured in saliva.
RESULTS: Heavy drinkers showed higher basal cortisol levels (AUCg: p=.02; evening cortisol: p=.006) and increased cardiac sympathetic control (higher HR: p=.04; lower PEP: p=.04) compared to moderate drinkers. Persons with current or remitted AD did not differ from persons without lifetime AD on any of the HPA-axis or ANS indicators (all p>.33). Similar patterns of HPA-axis and ANS activity across alcohol use groups were found in persons with and without lifetime AD.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that current heavy alcohol use, rather than current or remitted AD, is associated with hyperactivity of the HPA-axis and increased cardiac sympathetic control.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 170-176 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Drug and alcohol dependence |
Volume | 116 |
Issue number | 1-3 |
Early online date | 16 Feb 2011 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jul 2011 |
Keywords
- Adult
- Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology
- Alcoholism/epidemiology
- Autonomic Nervous System/physiopathology
- Databases, Factual
- Electrocardiography/drug effects
- Ethanol/pharmacology
- Female
- Heart Rate/drug effects
- Humans
- Hydrocortisone/metabolism
- Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/physiopathology
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Netherlands
- Pituitary-Adrenal System/physiopathology
- Saliva
- Surveys and Questionnaires
- Time Factors