DOPAMINE-BETA-HYDROXYLASE IN THE CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID - RELATIONSHIP TO DISULFIRAM-INDUCED PSYCHOSIS

Abstract

CSF dopamine-.beta.-hydroxylase (DBH) activity in 32 male human alcoholics was measured using a modification of the radioenzymatic method of Molinoff. In most, the CSF was obtained before treatment with disulfiram, while in others it was obtained while they were on the drug (250 or 500 mg). Treatment with this reversible DBH inhibitor had no effect on the activity of the enzyme measured in the in vitro assay. Low pretreatment DBH activity correlated with adverse reactions to disulfiram. Mean DBH activity of 4 individuals who went on the become psychotic on disulfiram was 0.13 .+-. 0.02 nmol/ml per h (mean .+-. SEM [standard error of the mean]). An additional 4 individuals who developed dysphoric but nonpsychotic reactions had a mean DBH of 0.23 .+-. 0.03. Both these values were significantly lower than the mean DBH activity of the remaining 24 individuals treated with disulfiram who had no adverse side effects.