1. Int J Cur Biomed Phar Res. 2011; 1(3): 122 -123
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Publication
Short Report
Alcohol Dependence, Womanizing & Treament With Disufiram,A Study.
Batta Anil*, Panag KMDS
Dep't of Medical Biochemistry, Baba Farid Univ. of Health Sciences, INDIA
ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT
Keywords:
Aim: womanizing and co morbid alcohol dependence often occur in combination. Disulfiram
Alcohol Dependence
is one of the proven drugs for alcohol dependence( Brewer C et al) In addition to its inhibiting
Womanizing
Treament With Disufiram, A acetaldehyde dehydrogenase In addition to its inhibiting acetaldehyde dehydrogenase ,
disulfiram inhibits dopamine β-hydroxylase and may thereby increase dopamine and decrease
norepinephrine cerebral concentrations (Kim SW), Because there may be common
neurochemical substrates and neuronal circuits for pathological womanizing and addiction,
we wished to explore the effect of disulfiram in gambling (Laaksonen E et al), Method: We
describe the outcome of a patient with alcohol dependence and womanizing treated with
disulfiram D. Results: During treatment with disulfiram, the patient reported that his desire to
womanize disappeared entirely. Follow-up indicated that he has not womanized for more than
12 months. Conclusions: Although uncontrolled case observations should be interpreted with
caution, disulfiram deserves further investigation in womanizing and may thereby increase
dopamine and decrease nor - epinephrine cerebral concentrations (Grant JE), There may be
common neurochemical substrates and neuronal circuits for womanizing and addiction, we
wish to explore the effect of disulfiram in womanizing (Koski-Jannes A), We describe the
outcome of a patient with alcohol dependence womanizing treated with disulfiram to explore
the effect of disulfiram in womanizing (Koski-Jannes A),We describe the outcome of a patient
with alcohol dependence womanizing treated with disulfiram D.
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1. Introduction
The occurrence of womanizing in alcohol-dependent patients withdrawal. Similarities between Womanizing and drug
is at least three times higher than in the general population. co- dependence include not only phenomenological criteria but also
morbidity rates have been reported that are even five times higher epidemiological, clinical, genetic and neurobiological
as in the general population. These observations suggest that characteristics. Therefore, womanizing might best be
common pathophysiological factors might underlie Womanizing characterized as a non-substance related or behavioral addiction
and drug addiction. However, this hypothesis has not been proven with a compulsive urge for a non-drug reward recent evidence
yet. indicates that similar mechanisms are involved in Womanizing
and drug addiction involved. Which is also a hallmark of drug
Womanizing is currently classified as an 'impulse control
addiction (Adinoff B et al). A neuroendocrinological study in
disorder (ICD) not elsewhere categorized' in the DSM, although the
womanizers found that womanizing elevated dopamine levels in
current diagnostic criteria indeed share many features with those
problem gamblers more than in healthy controls. The
for drug dependence, including (i) continued engagement in a
mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic system has been found to be
behavior despite adverse consequences, (ii) diminished self-
implicated in rewarding and reinforcing behaviors. It has been
control over engagement in the behavior, (iii) compulsive
suggested that womanizing might be related to a deficiency of the
engagement in the behavior and (iv) an appetitive urge or craving
mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic reward system, as has been
* Corresponding Author : Dr.Anil BATTA
shown for drug addiction. Another hallmark of drug addiction that
Dep't of Medical Biochemistry also holds for womanizing is the inability to inhibit inappropriate
Baba Farid Univ. of Health Sciences responses. Accumulating evidence points towards an important
INDIA
E.mail: akbattafarid@yahoo.co.in role of brain dopamine and noradrenergic systems in impulsive
c Copyright 2011. CurrentSciDirect Publications. IJCBPR - All rights reserved. behavior. The inferior frontal gyrus is critically involved in
response inhibition

2. Anil Batta , Panag KMDS / Int J Cur Biomed Phar Res. 2011; 1(3): 122 -123
123
response rate seen in treatment studies of studies of womanizing
and might be particularly impacted by the brain's noradrenergic
may have contributed to the good clinical outcome, and this is a
system. Other preclinical studies suggest that engaging in
methodological limitation of this case report. However, we
womanizing elevates activity of the hypothalamic–pituitary axis
propose that a possible neurobiological contribution might be
in problem and non-problem womanizers, as indicated by
that disulfiram directly modulates reward sensitivity and craving
increased plasma levels of nor - epinephrine, cortisol and
for womanizing by increasing the level of the brain chemical
increased heart rate. Roy and colleagues found higher levels of nor
dopamine and decreasing the nor - epinephrine levels through
epinephrine or its metabolites in urine, blood or cerebrospinal
blocking the activity of the DBH, which metabolizes brain
fluid samples in pathologic womanizers. The similarities between
monoamines. Most strikingly, these two neurotransmitter
womanizing and drug addiction suggest that patients may also
systems are thought to be altered in womanizing. The
benefit from medication used for the treatment of drug addiction.
disappearance of the patient's desire to womanize during
Pharmacotherapy research and validated treatment options for
treatment with disulfiram points towards the potential of
womanizing are limited. At the present time, there is no
disulfiram in reward modulation in womanizing, similar to that
medication for treatment of womanizing that is approved by the
described in the treatment of alcohol dependence.
Administration. Controlled clinical trials provide some evidence
5.Conclusion
for beneficial effects of opiate antagonists (naltrexone and
nalmefene) N-acetyl-cysteine and selective serotonin reuptake Our preliminary clinical data support the hypothesis that
inhibitors, which have been shown to reduce craving for disulfiram affects the desire to womanize, thereby promoting
womanizers. Additionally, cognitive behavioral therapy has been womanizing and abstinence. The possible involvement of DBH
shown to be an effective treatment for some patients with was mentioned above. Previous studies in drug-dependent
womanizing. However, all these therapies have only limited patients and patients with womanizing have shown that a
success. Disulfiram is well known as a treatment for alcohol combination of pharmacological treatment in combination with
dependence (e.g. by increasing neurotransmitter levels of psychosocial treatment methods, group therapies or contingency
dopamine and decreasing the nor - epinephrine levels by blocking management therapies is more effective than either treatment
the activity of the enzyme dopamine beta hydroxylase (DBH) alone More studies investigating the potential of combined
involved in the metabolism of brain monoamines). treatment approaches using disulfiram and cognitive behavioral
therapies are necessary. In summary, this report suggests that
3. Results A disulfiram might be a promising pharmacological agent in the
We describe the outcome of a patient with alcohol dependence treatment of womanizing. Future studies should assess the
and womanizing treated with disulfiram D. efficacy of disulfiram in reducing relapse rates in larger samples of
womanizing without co-morbid alcohol dependence, with
3. Results B
research to understand the underlying neuronal mechanisms.
During treatment with disulfiram, the patient reported that his
desire to womanize disappeared entirely. Follow-up indicated that
he has not womanizers for more than 12 months. 6. References
4. Discussion
[1] Brewer C. Combining pharmacological antagonists and
This case report suggests that disulfiram might provide behavioral psychotherapy in treating addictions. Why it is
treatment in womanizing. Disulfiram helps in the treatment of effective but unpopular. Br J Psychiatry. 1990; 157:34-40.
alcoholism. For more than half a century, disulfiram has been
successfully used for alcohol aversion therapy. Disulfiram [2] Brewer C. Recent developments in disulfiram treatment.
pharmacokinetics have been extensively studied; it also has a good Alcohol . 1993; 28:383-395.
safety record). It is a well-known vicious circle that substance use [3] Brewer C, Meyers RJ, Johnsen J. Does disulfiram help to prevent
may lead to more womanizing and more womanizing may lead to relapse in alcohol abuse?. CNS Drugs. 2000; 14: 329-341.
substance use( Salaspuro M), Personality traits like impulsivity
and reward sensitivity may contribute to excessive engagement . [4] Russo AM, Ramirez LF. Affective disorders among pathological
in both behaviors. In the present he has not womanized either gamblers seeking treatment. Am J Psychiatry. 1984;141:215-
since treatment with disulfiram started the patient has abstained 218.
from alcohol consumption for more than 12 months now and
[5] Adinoff B, Roerich L. Arch Gen Psychiatry. Vol. 45. 1988.
notably, one possible explanation might be that the patient was
Pathological gambling. A psychobiological study. 1988; p.
abstinent from alcohol. However, it can be argued that the patient
369-73.
was treated for alcohol dependence several times, but
womanizing was never markedly affected. Furthermore, despite
numerous previous detoxifications, the patient had never been
treated with supervised disulfiram before. Psychological aspects
of the supervised disulfiram therapy and the high placebo
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