Pharmacopsychiatry 2014; 47(03): 97-100
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1372645
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Intraperitoneal Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Attenuates Anxiety-related Behaviour during Alcohol Withdrawal in Mice

Authors

  • C. von der Goltz

    1   Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
  • H. Jahn

    2   Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
  • J. Mutschler

    3   Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics Center for Addictive Disorders, Zurich University Hospital of Psychiatry, Zurich, Switzerland
  • K. Wiedemann

    2   Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
  • F. Kiefer

    1   Department of Addictive Behaviour and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

received 09 December 2013
revised 12 March 2014

accepted 17 March 2014

Publication Date:
20 May 2014 (online)

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Abstract

Converging evidence from both preclinical and clinical studies suggests atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) as a potential target for treatment of alcohol withdrawal and dependence. Since ANP tightly interacts with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis activity, especially the modulation of stress-related anxiety during alcohol withdrawal might mediate these effects. We have now evaluated the anxiolytic activity of intraperitoneal ANP application during alcohol withdrawal in alcohol-habituated mice (C57/Bl6J). Anxiety related behaviour was attenuated during ethanol withdrawal following application of ANP (60 μg/kg) vs. saline. Our results support that anxiolytic effects of ANP mediate ANP-related gene effects with clinical data on withdrawal symptomatology.