The Modulation of the Startle Reflex as Predictor of Alcohol Use Disorders in a Sample of Heavy Drinkers: A 4-Year Follow-Up Study
Rosa Jurado-Barba
Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre (i + 12), Madrid, Spain
Camilo José Cela University , Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Almudena Duque
Pontifical University of Salamanca , Salamanca, Spain
Complutense University of Madrid , Madrid, Spain
Reprint requests: Almudena Duque, PhD, Pontifical University of Salamanca, C/ Compañía, 5, Salamanca, Spain; Tel.: +1-34-923-277 100 Ext: 7615; Fax: + 1-34-923-277-114; E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorJosé Ramón López-Trabada
University Hospital 12 de Octubre , Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorIsabel Martínez-Gras
University Hospital 12 de Octubre , Madrid, Spain
Biomedical Research Center Network for Mental Health (CIBERSAM) , Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorMaría Salud García-Gutiérrez
Instituto de Neurociencias , Miguel Hernández University, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS) , Red de Trastornos Adictivos, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorFrancisco Navarrete
Instituto de Neurociencias , Miguel Hernández University, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS) , Red de Trastornos Adictivos, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorFrancisco López-Muñoz
Camilo José Cela University , Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorMiguel Ángel Jiménez-Arriero
Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre (i + 12), Madrid, Spain
University Hospital 12 de Octubre , Madrid, Spain
Biomedical Research Center Network for Mental Health (CIBERSAM) , Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorJorge Manzanares
Instituto de Neurociencias , Miguel Hernández University, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS) , Red de Trastornos Adictivos, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorGabriel Rubio
Complutense University of Madrid , Madrid, Spain
University Hospital 12 de Octubre , Madrid, Spain
Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS) , Red de Trastornos Adictivos, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorRosa Jurado-Barba
Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre (i + 12), Madrid, Spain
Camilo José Cela University , Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Almudena Duque
Pontifical University of Salamanca , Salamanca, Spain
Complutense University of Madrid , Madrid, Spain
Reprint requests: Almudena Duque, PhD, Pontifical University of Salamanca, C/ Compañía, 5, Salamanca, Spain; Tel.: +1-34-923-277 100 Ext: 7615; Fax: + 1-34-923-277-114; E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorJosé Ramón López-Trabada
University Hospital 12 de Octubre , Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorIsabel Martínez-Gras
University Hospital 12 de Octubre , Madrid, Spain
Biomedical Research Center Network for Mental Health (CIBERSAM) , Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorMaría Salud García-Gutiérrez
Instituto de Neurociencias , Miguel Hernández University, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS) , Red de Trastornos Adictivos, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorFrancisco Navarrete
Instituto de Neurociencias , Miguel Hernández University, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS) , Red de Trastornos Adictivos, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorFrancisco López-Muñoz
Camilo José Cela University , Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorMiguel Ángel Jiménez-Arriero
Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre (i + 12), Madrid, Spain
University Hospital 12 de Octubre , Madrid, Spain
Biomedical Research Center Network for Mental Health (CIBERSAM) , Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorJorge Manzanares
Instituto de Neurociencias , Miguel Hernández University, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, Spain
Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS) , Red de Trastornos Adictivos, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorGabriel Rubio
Complutense University of Madrid , Madrid, Spain
University Hospital 12 de Octubre , Madrid, Spain
Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS) , Red de Trastornos Adictivos, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Background
Previous studies demonstrated that patients with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) show altered startle reflex responses to alcohol-related stimuli. However, there is little information about the role of these altered responses in the development of AUDs. This study examined the startle reflex response to different visual stimuli and the role of these patterns in the development of AUDs in a 4-year follow-up.
Methods
Two hundred and thirty-nine (nondependent) heavy-drinking participants were selected. In the baseline period, the startle reflex responses to alcohol-related, aversive, appetitive, and neutral pictures were assessed. Startle reflex responses to these pictures were used as predictive variables. Status drinking (alcohol dependence and nondependence) assessed at 4-year follow-up was used as outcome measure.
Results
At the 4-year follow-up assessment, 46% of participants fulfilled DSM-IV alcohol abuse or dependence criteria. Alcohol dependence status was predicted by an attenuated startle reflex response to alcohol-related and aversive pictures.
Conclusions
This study revealed that an attenuated modulation of startle reflex response to alcohol-related and aversive stimuli could be used as a clinical marker to predict the development of AUDs in participants with previous alcohol consumption.
Graphical Abstract
The participants are 239 men with a heavy-drinking profile who had not received previous formal treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Results show that in comparison with participants remaining as heavy drinkers and remitted at 4-year follow-up, alcohol-dependent subjects show an attenuated startle reflex response to alcohol-related, aversive, appetitive and neutral pictures. The predictive analysis shows that the startle reflex response to alcohol-related and aversive pictures are significant predictors of alcohol-dependence status at the follow-up 4 years later.
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