Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2026

A Method for Evaluating the Reinforcing Properties of Ethanol in Rats without Water Deprivation, Saccharin Fading or Extended Access Training
Published on: January 29, 2017
Naltrexone and disulfiram in patients with alcohol dependence and comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder
Ismene L Petrakis1, James Poling, Carolyn Levinson
1Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06516, USA. ismene.petrakis@yale.edu
Background:
Although disulfiram and naltrexone have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of alcoholism, the effect of these medications on alcohol use outcomes and on psychiatric symptoms is still unknown in patients with co-occurring disorders post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Methods:
Patients (n = 254) with a major Axis I psychiatric disorder and comorbid alcohol dependence were treated for 12 weeks in a medication study at three Veterans Administration outpatient clinics. Randomization included (1) open randomization to disulfiram or no disulfiram; and (2) double-blind randomization to naltrexone or placebo. This resulted in four groups: (1) naltrexone alone; (2) placebo alone; (3) disulfiram and naltrexone; or (4) disulfiram and placebo. Outcomes were measures of alcohol use, PTSD symptoms, alcohol craving, GGT levels and adverse events.
Results:
93 individuals (36.6%) met DSM-IV criteria for PTSD. Subjects with PTSD had better alcohol outcomes with active medication (naltrexone, disulfiram or the combination) than they did on placebo; overall psychiatric symptoms of PTSD improved. Individuals with PTSD were more likely to report some side effects when treated with the combination.
Conclusions:
The results of this study suggest that disulfiram and naltrexone are effective and safe for individuals with PTSD and comorbid alcohol dependence.
More Related Videos
08:05A Prediction Error-driven Retrieval Procedure for Destabilizing and Rewriting Maladaptive Reward Memories in Hazardous Drinkers
Published on: January 5, 2018
09:29Investigating Drivers of Antireward in Addiction Behavior with Anatomically Specific Single-Cell Gene Expression Methods
Published on: August 4, 2022
Related Concept Videos
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events, are a...
Depressants
Alcohol is a common depressant that can induce a sense of relaxation and reduced inhibition at low doses. Contrary to its occasional...
Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents
Drugs for Treatment of Diarrhea-Predominant IBS
Two specific drugs used in the treatment are alosetron (Lotronex) and eluxadoline (Viberzi). Alosetron, a 5-HT3 antagonist, works by slowing the movement of stools in the gut, reducing bowel...