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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Murine Drinking Models in the Development of Pharmacotherapies for Alcoholism: Drinking in the Dark and Two-bottle Choice

Murine Drinking Models in the Development of Pharmacotherapies for Alcoholism: Drinking in the Dark and Two-bottle Choice

Published on: January 7, 2019

Emerging approaches to managing alcohol dependence.

¹Brown University Medical School, Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI 02912, USA. robert_swift_MD@brown.edu

American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy : AJHP : Official Journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

|February 27, 2007

Summary

This review covers pharmacotherapies and psychosocial interventions for alcohol dependence. Novel drug formulations aim to improve medication adherence, enhancing treatment effectiveness for this chronic disorder.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psychiatry
Pharmacology

Background:

Alcohol dependence is a prevalent, chronic disorder with significant health impacts.
Psychological and behavioral therapies are effective but do not ensure reduced drinking or abstinence for all patients.
Neurobiological advances have identified new drug targets for alcohol dependence treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

To review pharmacotherapies and psychosocial interventions for alcohol dependence.
To highlight recent developments addressing medication nonadherence.
To assess the role of pharmacotherapy in conjunction with psychotherapy.

Main Methods:

Literature review of pharmacotherapies and psychosocial interventions.
Analysis of recent developments in drug formulations.
Evaluation of treatment effectiveness and adherence factors.

Main Results:

Pharmacotherapy, including disulfiram, naltrexone, and acamprosate, can augment psychosocial therapy.
Medication adherence is crucial for pharmacotherapy effectiveness but is often poor.
Novel drug delivery systems, like extended-release naltrexone, show promise in improving adherence.

Conclusions:

Combining pharmacotherapy with psychosocial therapy improves treatment outcomes for alcohol dependence.
Advances in drug delivery, such as extended-release formulations, can enhance medication adherence.
Improved adherence through new formulations offers a promising strategy to enhance patient outcomes in alcohol dependence treatment.