Plasma Orexin Levels Related to Altered Brain Activity During Abstinence in Patients with Alcohol Dependence

Abstract

Objectives: In vivo studies have correlated brain activity with alcohol-seeking behavior, while clinical studies have identified altered brain activity in patients with alcohol dependence ents with AD. Methods: In this pilot study, we evaluated 24 male patients with AD in remission and 25 male controls. Alcohol craving was assessed using the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS). An adapted MRI technique was used to assess global functional connectivity density (gFCD), and plasma orexin concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay. Associations were analyzed by the Pearson correlation. Results: Plasma orexin levels in AD patients in remission were significantly higher than those in the controls. OCDS scores correlated to orexin concentrations (r = 0.47, P