ALPHA-2-ADRENOCEPTOR SENSITIVITY IN HEROIN-ADDICTS WITH AND WITHOUT PREVIOUS ATTENTION-DEFICIT DISORDER HYPERACTIVITY AND CONDUCT DISORDER

Growth hormone (GH) and beta-endorphin (beta-EP) responses to clonidin e stimulation were examined in 18 male heroin addicts, 9 with and 9 wi thout previous histories of attention deficit disorder with hyperactiv ity (ADD-H) and conduct disorder (CD). Ten psychophysically healthy vo lunteers were used as controls. ADD-H/CD addicts had blunted GH and be ta-EP responses as compared to controls while those of non-ADD-H/CD ad dicts were normal. This suggests that postsynaptic adrenoceptor sensit ivity is decreased and, possibly, that presynaptic noradrenaline secre tion is increased in ADD-H/CD patients with heroin addiction.