RED WINE IS LESS STRESS REDUCING THAN VODKA - NO DIFFERENCES IN NEUROENDOCRINE CHALLENGE TEST

Red wine, like the drugs reserpine and fenfluramine, causes the releas e of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) from storage sites in vitro. This stud y used a neuroendocrine challenge test design to determine whether the parallel between red wine and these drugs can be extended to central actions in healthy volunteers. Vodka diluted to an equal alcohol conte nt was used as a control. No significant differences were observed bet ween the groups in plasma cortisol, plasma prolactin or in temperature levels. Thus no evidence was obtained for a central 5-HT releasing ac tion by red wine. Self-rating stress and arousal questionnaires were a lso given. No differences were found in arousal. However whereas vodka had a clear effect in reducing stress, red wine did not. This suggest s that red wine does have psychoactive properties independent of its a lcohol effects.