Journal
EUROPEAN ARCHIVES OF PSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE
Volume -, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
DOI: 10.1007/s00406-023-01635-5
Keywords
Alcohol dependence; Neurofilament light chain; ALDH2; rs671; Detoxification
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Blood NFL levels are increased in patients with alcohol dependence and decrease after early abstinence. The ALDH2 rs671 polymorphism is associated with NFL levels. Reduction in NFL levels correlates with improvement of clinical symptoms.
Neurofilament light chain (NFL), as a measure of neuroaxonal injury, has recently gained attention in alcohol dependence (AD). Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is the major enzyme which metabolizes the alcohol breakdown product acetaldehyde. An ALDH2 single nucleotide polymorphism (rs671) is associated with less ALDH2 enzyme activity and increased neurotoxicity. We examined the blood NFL levels in 147 patients with AD and 114 healthy controls using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and genotyped rs671. We also followed NFL level, alcohol craving and psychological symptoms in patients with AD after 1 and 2 weeks of detoxification. We found the baseline NFL level was significantly higher in patients with AD than in controls (mean +/- SD: 264.2 +/- 261.8 vs. 72.1 +/- 35.6 pg/mL, p < 0.001). The receiver operating characteristic curve revealed that NFL concentration could discriminate patients with AD from controls (area under the curve: 0.85; p < 0.001). The NFL levels were significantly reduced following 1 and 2 weeks of detoxification, with the extent of reduction correlated with the improvement of craving, depression, and anxiety (p < 0.001). Carriers with the rs671 GA genotype, which is associated with less ALDH2 activity, had higher NLF levels either at baseline or after detoxification compared with GG carriers. In conclusion, plasma NFL level was increased in patients with AD and reduced after early abstinence. Reduction in NFL level corroborated well with the improvement of clinical symptoms. The ALDH2 rs671 polymorphism may play a role in modulating the extent of neuroaxonal injury and its recovery.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available