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1. THYROTROPIN RELEASING HORMONE DOES NOT CONDITION TASTE AVERSION. Recently, we demonstrated that administration of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) reduces alcohol consumption and preference in rats. We determined if this [...]

An α-θ brainwave biofeedfack training program was applied as a novel treatment technique for chronic alcoholics. Following a temperature biofeedback pretraining phase, experimental subjects completed 15 30-min sessions of α-θ biofeedback training. Compared to a nonalcoholic control group and a traditionally treated alcoholic control group, alcoholics receiving brainwave training (BWT) showed significant increases in percentages of EEG record in α and θ rhythms, and increased α rhythm amplitudes. Alcoholics receiving BWT showed a gradual increase in α and θ brain rhythms across the 15 experimental sessions. These experimentally treated alcoholics showed sharp reductions in self-assessed depression (Beck's Depression Inventory) compared to the control groups. Alcoholics receiving standard medical treatment (abstinence, group psychotherapy, antidepressants) showed a significant elevation in serum β-endorphin levels at the conclusion of the experiment. This neuropeptide is an index of stress and a stimulant of caloric (e.g., ethanol) intake. Application of brainwave treatment, a relaxation therapy, appears to counteract the increase in circulating β-endorphin levels seen in the control group of alcoholics. 13-month follow-up data indicate sustained prevention of relapse in alcoholics that completed α-θ brainwave training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholecystokinin (CCK) and bombesin (BBS) are neuropeptides of the brain and gut which have been shown to inhibit intake of ethanol. CCK octapeptide and BBS tetradecapeptide were injected intrapritoneally in both single doses and combinations of doses to determine Interactions of the two peptides in the control of consumption of ethanol. Water-deprived rats were given access to 5% w/v ethanol for 30 min, followed by a 30-min access to water, daily. One minute before presentation of ethanol, rats were injected with either saline or one of ten peptide solutions (three of CCK alone, three of BBS done, and four combinations of both). Results from the injections of single peptides were used to determine predicted inhibitions of the peptide combinations, assuming perfect additivity of doses. None of the actual values of inhibition of intake of ethanol by peptide combinations differed significantly from its predicted additive value. Endogenous CCK-like and BBS-like peptides may suppress intake of ethanol by an additive mechanism of inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The psoralens are naturally occurring secondary metabolites in plants, including many fruits and vegetables. Health risks have been associated with handling or ingesting psoralen-containing plants, and with the use of synthetic psoralens in photochemotherapy of skin disorders. Our research has demonstrated that administration of the psoralens bergapten (5-methoxypsoralen) and xanthotoxin (8-methoxypsoralen) in the diet of female rats reduced birthrates, number of implantation sites, pups, corpora lutea, full and empty uterine weight, and circulating estrogen levels in a dose-dependent manner. Psoralens induced mRNAs of the liver enzymes CYP1A1 and UGT1A6, suggesting that enhanced metabolism of estrogens by psoralen treatment may explain the reproductive toxicity and the observed reduction of ovarian follicular function and ovulation. Rats also avoided repeated consumption of a flavored solution associated with psoralen administration. The findings indicate that the psoralens constitute a novel group of ovarian toxicants. Further examination of the safety of their use in photochemotherapy and diet is warranted.