The relationship of temperamental, biochemical trait variables determining appetitive behaviour and alcohol-dependent individuals’ health status and nutrition – preliminary study

Purpose
The aim of the study was to assess the association of temperamental traits and biochemical variables that determine appetitive behaviour with the health status, food intake and anthropometric parameters of alcohol-dependent individuals.

Methods
The total sample consisted of 154 adults with alcohol-dependence. The interview focused on basic socio-demographics, and the assessment of dietary preferences pertained directly to the variables studied, such as the biochemical and temperamental determinants of appetitive behaviour. The questionnaires used TCI, SADD, PACS, Y-BOCS, and the hunger scale (HS). Immunoenzymatic ELISA determined concentrations of orexin and neuropeptide Y.

Results
The Novelty Seeking subscale scores correlated with the Y-BOCS (R = 0.339), SADD (R = 0.473), HS (R = 0.234). The Harm Avoidance subscale scores correlated with PACS (R = 0.191), Y-BOCS (R = 214). The patients with more expressed Harm Avoidance traits took more doses of analgesics and had higher serum neuropeptide Y concentration, determined at week 6 of hospitalisation (1323 vs. 1064 pg/ml) and had higher Y-BOCS scores (17.00 vs. 15.00). Pre-meal hunger was higher in patients with the more expressed temperament trait of Novelty Seeking, as also shown by the higher scores of two questions in the HS, which indicate a lack of eating control associated with strong pre-meal hunger in these individuals.

Conclusions
In alcohol-dependent individuals, the more expressed Novelty Seeking temperamental trait is associated with stronger feelings of alcohol craving and increased hunger or decreased control of eating by more irritability. The more expressed Harm Avoidance temperamental trait is associated with increased alcohol craving, a greater need to relieve pain, and a higher concentration of serum neuropeptide Y.