Evidence, Mechanisms and Prospects for Gut Microbiota as a Novel Therapeutic Target for Alcohol Use Disorder

Alcohol use is a tradition in many cultures worldwide. However, excessive alcohol use adversely affects public health as it can lead to serious adverse health consequences such as liver disease. Chronic alcohol use also causes a brain disorder called Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), which is marked by compulsive drinking and impulsivity observed during alcohol intake and during abstinence. Current medications are not sufficiently effective and behavioral rehabilitation requires strong commitment, lack of which leads patients to relapse. Thus, novel approaches are needed to curb AUD. Emerging evidence suggests that the gut microbiome is a novel contributor to AUD. Therefore, targeting the gut microbiome presents as a novel opportunity to lower AUD and alcohol-related pathologies. Multiple preclinical and clinical studies have documented the benefits of select gut bacteria as promising new therapeutics for treating alcohol-related pathologies. Here we present the current evidence for the gut microbiome as a previously unknown contributor to the development of alcohol-related disease. Secondly, we review the current literature for the prospects of targeting the gut microbiome and its metabolites as novel therapeutics for AUD.