PHARMACOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF PHYSICAL-DEPENDENCE ON ETHANOL

The application of ordinary pharmacological concepts such as dose responses, time courses, drug interactions and pharmacogenetics to the study of human physical dependence on ethanol, is reviewed and discussed. Withdrawal, withdrawal reaction and physical dependence are defined for the purpose of establishing terminology. Rating methods, withdrawal reactions and alcohol administration methods are listed. The possible mechanisms underlying the roles of neurotransmitters (dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, acetylcholine, GABA), adrenal steroids, acetaldehyde and ATPase in alcohol dependence are discussed. Himmelspach''s theory that drug (alcohol) addiction is an adaptive process is discussed. The theory of Hill et al. that adaptation may be caused by a change in the physical properties of membranes which stiffen to offset the excess fluidity induced by ethanol, is considered promising.