Environmental enrichment and complementary clinical interventions as therapeutic approaches for alcohol use disorder...

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a multifactorial disorder arising from a complex interplay of various genetic, environmental, psychological, and social factors. Environmental factors influence alcohol misuse and can lead to AUD. While stress plays a crucial role in the onset and progression of this disorder, environmental enrichment (EE) also influences ethanol-induced behavioral and neurobiological responses. These alterations include reduced ethanol consumption, diminished operant self-administration, attenuated behavioral sensitization, and enhanced conditioned place preference. EE exerts modulatory effects on multiple neurobiological processes, such as the brain-derived neurotrophic factor/TrkB signaling pathway, the oxytocinergic system, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. EE, which includes stimulating activities to counteract ethanol effects in animal studies, has parallels in human intervention that have shown potential benefits. Physical activity, cognitive behavioral therapy, and meditation, alongside techniques involving cognitive stimulation, social interaction, and recreational activities, may lead to more effective therapeutic outcomes in treatments of AUD.