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Updated: Jan 5, 2026
07:31
Murine Drinking Models in the Development of Pharmacotherapies for Alcoholism: Drinking in the Dark and Two-bottle Choice
Published on: January 7, 2019
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Medication Development for Alcohol Use Disorder: A Focus on Clinical Studies
Lorenzo Leggio1,2,3, Daniel E Falk4, Megan L Ryan4
1Section on Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research and National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA. lorenzo.leggio@nih.gov.
Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology
|October 20, 2019
Summary
Approved medications for alcohol use disorder (AUD) are limited and show small effects. More research is needed to find new treatments and personalize medication choices for better AUD management.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Limited FDA-approved medications exist for alcohol use disorder (AUD).
- Current AUD treatments like disulfiram, naltrexone, and acamprosate have modest efficacy.
- Personalized medicine approaches for AUD are underdeveloped.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review medications for AUD beyond those FDA-approved.
- To discuss drugs showing efficacy in clinical trials for AUD.
- To explore medications in early-stage human studies for AUD.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of clinical trials and early-stage research.
- Analysis of medication efficacy and patient response.
- Exploration of novel therapeutic targets for AUD.
Main Results:
- Several non-FDA-approved medications demonstrate potential efficacy for AUD.
- Emerging research indicates promise for novel pharmacological interventions.
- The need for personalized treatment strategies is highlighted.
Conclusions:
- Expanding the pharmacotherapy options for AUD is crucial.
- Further research is essential to develop personalized treatment approaches for AUD.
- Novel medications and tailored therapies can improve AUD outcomes.
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