LOW PLASMA HOMOVANILLIC-ACID LEVELS IN RECENTLY ABSTINENT ALCOHOLIC MEN

Objective: To explore dopaminergic mechanisms in alcohol dependence, t he authors measured plasma homovanillic acid (HVA) in recently detoxif ied alcohol-dependent men. Method: Plasma HVA was measured in 83 male patients with a diagnosis of alcohol dependence who had maintained doc umented abstinence for at least 3 weeks and in 69 healthy male compari son subjects. Results: The alcoholic patients as a group had significa ntly lower levels of plasma HVA than the comparison subjects. This dif ference was not influenced by any other measured covariate, including a family history of alcohol dependence. Conclusions: These results imp ly that factors such as alcohol dependence should be taken into accoun t in future studies of plasma HVA.