A DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED STUDY OF NORTRIPTYLINE AND BROMOCRIPTINE IN MALE ALCOHOLICS SUBTYPED BY COMORBID PSYCHIATRIC-DISORDERS

This double-blind, placebo-controlled, 6-month follow-up treatment stu dy investigated the efficacy of bromocriptine and nortriptyline in att enuating drinking behavior and psychiatric symptoms in 216 male alcoho lic patients subtyped by comorbid psychiatric disorder(s). Three well- defined subtypes were examined: alcoholism only, alcoholism + affectiv e/anxiety disorder, and alcoholism + antisocial personality disorder. It was hypothesized that both medications would relieve negative affec tive symptoms associated with alcohol use and would be particularly ef fective for the affective/anxiety subgroup. Contrary to our prediction s, the only significant effects found were with the antisocial persona lity disorder patients who were receiving nortriptyline. One interpret ation of the results was that nortriptyline may have reduced impulsive drinking in the antisocial personality disorder subgroup by actions o n serotonergic neurotransmission.