Neuroendocrine responses to fenfluramine and its relationship to personality in alcoholism

This study investigates the relationship between personality and serotonerg ic reactivity in alcohol dependence. Personality characteristics were asses sed according to the Temperament and Character model of Cloninger, the five -factor model of McCrae and Costa, Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking as well as Eysenck's impulsiveness/venturesomeness. Placebo-controlled prolactin resp onse to the serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor/releaser fenfluramine serve d as an indicator for the reactivity of serotonergic neurotransmission. For ty abstinent alcohol-dependent men were subdivided into high and low prolac tin responders according to their level of neuroendocrine response. High re sponders were characterized by decreased harm avoidance while their extrave rsion and venturesomeness scores were increased in comparison to low respon ders. The data demonstrates that harm avoidance on the one hand and extrave rsion/venturesomeness on the other are inversely correlated to serotonergic neurotransmission. These results support a specific relationship between p ersonality traits and the serotonergic system.