Psoriasis: Targets and Therapy (Aug 2019)
Psoriasis and alcohol
Abstract
Caroline Svanström,1,2 Sol-Britt Lonne-Rahm,1 Klas Nordlind21Department of Dermatology, Mälarsjukhuset, Eskilstuna, Sweden; 2Department of Medicine, Solna, Dermatology and Venereology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SwedenCorrespondence: Caroline SvanströmDepartment of Medicine, Solna, Dermatology and Venereology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE 171 76, SwedenTel +46 70 230 7268Email [email protected]: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that may be triggered or worsened by several factors, including alcohol. A higher than average alcohol consumption is common among individuals with psoriasis. Neurobiological signaling affected by alcohol intake includes a range of neurotransmitters, such as the dopaminergic, serotonergic, and tachykinergic systems, involved in reward and drug-seeking. These neurotransmitters may also have an impact on the inflammatory processes per se in psoriasis. Future therapy may, therefore, be targeted at neurotransmitter networks involved with both alcohol intake and the inflammatory processes.Keywords: psoriasis, alcohol, pruritus, neurotransmitters
