[Antibodies to morphine and neuromediators in the blood serum of chronic alcoholics].

The data on the presence of antibodies to morphine and neurotransmitters (dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin) in the blood serum of chronic alcoholics are presented. The antibodies were detected by the modification of complement-fixation test. 82% of chronic alcoholics showed significantly elevated levels (P less than 0.01) of antibodies to morphine (5.34 +/- 0.65% of complement fixed) when compared to the control group (2.41 +/- 0.52% of complement fixed), which was an indirect evidence of the presence of endogenous morphine-like compounds in men and their role in the pathogenesis of the disease. A general group of alcoholics could be divided into subgroups with significantly elevated and decreased levels of antibodies to the appropriate neurotransmitter, as compared to the control group, which significantly differed from each other. Similar results were obtained in chronically alcoholized rats.