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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Vapor Exposure Paired with Two-Bottle Choice to Model Alcohol Use Disorder

Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Vapor Exposure Paired with Two-Bottle Choice to Model Alcohol Use Disorder

Published on: June 23, 2023

Alcohol dependence, withdrawal, and relapse.

Howard C Becker¹

¹Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina & VA Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina.

Alcohol Research & Health : the Journal of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

|April 16, 2013

Summary

Excessive alcohol consumption leads to dependence and withdrawal symptoms, increasing relapse risk. Understanding withdrawal-related anxiety and brain changes may help develop targeted medications for alcohol use disorder.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Addiction Medicine
Psychopharmacology

Background:

Continued excessive alcohol consumption can cause dependence, characterized by withdrawal syndrome upon cessation.
Withdrawal symptoms, both physical and psychological, contribute to distress and can perpetuate alcohol abuse and relapse.
Alcohol dependence affects sensitivity to relapse cues and stimuli, impacting stress response systems.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the relationship between alcohol withdrawal, anxiety, and relapse.
To investigate the neurobiological underpinnings of alcohol dependence, withdrawal, and relapse.
To identify potential therapeutic targets for treating alcohol use disorder.

Main Methods:

Review of clinical studies on alcohol dependence, withdrawal, and relapse in humans.
Examination of animal models of alcoholism to study withdrawal and relapse behaviors.
Analysis of the impact of alcohol exposure on the brain's stress response system.

Main Results:

Alcohol-dependent individuals and animals show heightened sensitivity to relapse triggers.
Withdrawal-related anxiety is a significant factor contributing to relapse.
Adaptive brain changes in response to alcohol affect the stress response system.

Conclusions:

Alcohol withdrawal, stress, and relapse are interconnected, with implications for treatment.
Animal models suggest that individuals with a history of alcohol dependence may respond differently to medications.
There is potential for developing targeted medications to manage excessive alcohol consumption and prevent relapse.