The influence of oral alcohol intake on the effects of a 35% CO2 challenge in healthy volunteers

Objective:Alcohol use disorders and panic disorder co-occur at a rate that exceeds chance significantly. The underlying mechanism of alcoholism associated with anxiety has rarely been examined using experimental methodologies. The present study in healthy volunteers tested whether alcohol consumption reduces anxiety associated with a panic-challenge procedure (35% CO2 challenge).Methods:The study design was placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized. Eight healthy volunteers were enrolled; all subjects had an alcohol and a placebo oral intake according to a crossover design. After each consumption the subjects underwent the 35% CO2 challenge and a series of anxiety symptom assessments.Results:After the alcohol intake, the subjects presented a significant reduction in the anxiety state associated with the challenge procedure. The Panic Symptom List score is significantly lower after alcohol intake (P = 0.032), as compared with the placebo, and the Visual Analogue Anxiety Scale shows a trend to be lower after alcohol intake (P = 0.111).Conclusions:Moderate doses of alcohol acutely decrease the response to a 35% CO2 challenge in healthy volunteers. These results lend support to the pharmacological anxiolytic effect of alcohol and suggest that this property may reinforce the drinking behaviour among those with high levels of anxiety.

Download Full-text

The effects of acute exercise and high lactate levels on 35% CO2 challenge in healthy volunteers

Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica ◽

10.1034/j.1600-0447.2002.01333.x ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 106 (5) ◽

pp. 394-397 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

G. Esquivel ◽

K. Schruers ◽

H. Kuipers ◽

E. Griez

Keyword(s):

Healthy Volunteers ◽

Acute Exercise ◽

Lactate Levels ◽

High Lactate ◽

Co2 Challenge

Download Full-text

The influence of ethanol infusion on the effects of 35% CO2 challenge. A study in panic disorder patients and healthy volunteers

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2004.06.009 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 299-303 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

F. Cosci ◽

T. De Gooyer ◽

K. Schruers ◽

C. Faravelli ◽

E. Griez

Keyword(s):

Panic Disorder ◽

Healthy Volunteers ◽

Alcohol Intake ◽

Pharmacological Effect ◽

Moderate Dose ◽

Placebo Condition ◽

Double Blind ◽

Panic Disorders ◽

Ethanol Infusion ◽

Drug Free

AbstractAlcohol and panic disorders co-occur at a rate that exceeds chance significantly. Early experimental work suggests that alcoholic subjects, compared to non-alcoholics, are less sensitive to sodium lactate and that alcohol intake reduces the response to a 35% CO2 challenge in Panic Disorder patients. The present study documents the direct pharmacological effect of ethanol infusion on CO2 induced panic.MethodsAccording to a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized, cross-over design 10 drug free panic disorder patients and 16 healthy volunteers underwent a 35% CO2 challenge after intravenous infusion of a moderate dose of ethanol on one test day and of placebo on another test day.ResultsCompared to the placebo condition, the effect of the CO2 challenge was significantly smaller after ethanol infusion (P = 0.041).DiscussionA moderate dose of ethanol decreased the response to a 35% CO2 without inducing pre challenge sedation.ConclusionThe results comfort earlier findings of a direct pharmacological effect of ethanol on panic.

Download Full-text