Subnormal alpha-2-adrenoceptor-mediated sedation during 6 months of sobriety in male type 1 alcohol-dependent subjects.

Aims: In the present study, alpha(2)-adrenoceptor function was investigated over 6 months of sobriety in eight male alcohol-dependent subjects.
Methods: Subjects were investigated with repeated clonidine (CLON, 2 micro g/kg body weight intravenously) challenge tests at days 1 and 7, and months 2 and 6 after the end of a period of heavy alcohol intake. CLON-induced sedation was rated at challenge tests. Mental well-being was self-reported before all challenge tests. Three challenge tests were performed at 1-week intervals in six male healthy controls.
Results: Sedation was significantly lower after CLON at all time-points for the challenge tests in alcohol-dependent subjects compared with mean values for three challenge tests in controls. Three dimensions of mental well-being were negatively correlated with scores of CLON-induced sedation at month 6.
Conclusions: alpha(2)-Adrenoceptor function is subnormal, as assessed by CLON-induced sedation, for at least 6 months after termination of alcohol intake. Whether this subnormal receptor function is pre-existing and possibly genetically determined or is a consequence of long-term alcohol intake must be further investigated, as should this receptor status in alcohol-dependent subjects with longer time-periods of sobriety.