Endogenous opioid activity is associated with obsessive-compulsive symptomology in individuals with a family history of alcoholism

Endogenous opioid activity has bed? associated with the regulation of mood and inhibition of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. We assesse d differences il psychological symptomology and naloxone sensitivity in non -alcoholic males and females with a family history of alcoholism (FHP) and without a family history of alcoholism (FHN). This was followed by assessme nt of the association between naloxone sensitivity and psychological sympto mology. Psychological symptomology was observed using the Revised Symptom C hecklist (SCL-90-R) during enrollment. Adrenocorticotropin was measured fol lowing intravenous administration of naloxone/placebo. FHP males reported m ore obsessive-compulsive symptomology as well as increased sensitivity to n aloxone relative to other groups. A positive association teas observed betw een degree of obsessive-compulsive symptomology and naloxone sensitivity, a nd the association was strongest among FHP males. These findings suggest th at the increased risk of alcoholism in FHP subjects (especially males) may be associated with altered opioid activity, which is expressed through an e levated level of obsessive compulsive symptomology. (C) 2000 American Colle ge of Neuropsychopharmacology. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.