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Platelet serotonin concentration in male and female alcoholics with and without different comorbid diagnoses and nicotine dependence

Alcoholism is a heterogeneous syndrome, often chronic, with high morbidity and comorbidity and resistant to treatment. Serotonergic dysfunction is implicated in alcoholism. Since platelets and central serotonergic synaptosomes similarly take up, store and release serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT), platelets are used to study peripheral 5-HT. The aim of the study was to determine platelet 5-HT concentration in 187 drug-free alcohol dependent subjects (according to the DSM-IV criteria), and in 233 healthy controls, and to find out if different comorbidities, or smoking status, affect platelet 5-HT values. Platelet 5-HT concentration was significantly decreased in male and female alcoholics when compared to values in healthy controls, and significantly higher in male than in female subjects. Platelet 5-HT concentration did not differ among female alcoholics with or without different psychiatric comorbidities. Platelet 5-HT concentration was increased in male alcoholics with comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when compared to male alcoholics with comorbid anxious-depressive disorder, or to male alcoholics without the psychiatric comorbidity. Smoking status did not change platelet 5-HT concentration in healthy or alcoholic subjects. We have found gender differences in platelet 5-HT concentration in all subjects, and reduced platelet 5-HT values in the large groups of male and female alcoholic subjects. Smoking status did not affect platelet 5-HT values. Different comorbidities did not affect platelet 5-HT values in female alcoholics, but the presence of comorbid PTSD in male alcoholics partly normalized the decreased platelet 5-HT values. The results support the hypothesis that alterations in 5-HT system might be related to alcoholism.

alcoholism; platelet serotonin; comorbid diagnoses; smoking status

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