Leptin: A modulator of alcohol craving?

Background: Leptin has been shown to regulate food intake and energy expenditure. Because leptin acts via regulation of appetite, il e studied the hypothesis that suggests leptin modulates craving for alcohol as well. Methods: We, studied leptin plasma concentrations (RIA) both in alcoholic subjects during inpatient detoxification :(day 1: n = 78, day 14: n = 60) and in healthy control subjects (in = 30), To rule out interference with the activation of the HPA axis during alcohol withdrawal, we also evaluated cortisol plasma levels (RIA). Results: We found plasma leptin and cortisol elevated at onset of withdrawal decreasing significantly up to day 14. Leptin (and the body-mass corrected ratio leptin/BMI) was highly correlated with self-rated craving. No correlations of craving with cortisol and BMI were observed Conclusions: We suggest that leptin may modulate withdrawal-induced craving in alcoholic subjects. (C) 2001 Society of Biological Psychiatry.