Mental well-being in alcohol withdrawal: Relationship to alpha(2)-adrenoceptor function

The possible relationship between postsynaptic alpha(2)-adrenoceptor functi on, as assessed by the growth hormone (GH) response to clonidine (CLON) and aspects of mental well-being by self-report of mood using the Swedish Mood Adjective Check List, was investigated in alcohol-dependent patients in th e early withdrawal period. Patients had blunted GH responses to CLON and wo rse mental well-being than control subjects immediately after the end of al cohol intake. No relation was found between mental well-being and postsynap tic alpha(2)-adrenoceptor function. After 1 week, the GH responses to CLON remained blunted, whereas the state of mental well-being had improved to le vels similar to those of control subjects. The results further support a do wnregulated alpha(2)-adrenoceptor function during 1 week of alcohol withdra wal. Furthermore, even if subsensitive postsynaptic alpha(2)-adrenoceptor f unction was not generally related to state of mood, patients with the lowes t postsynaptic alpha(2)-adrenoceptor function reported the highest levels i n the dimensions pleasantness/unpleasantness and activation/deactivation wh en sober.