Mood-altering effects of disulfiram in alcoholics

The effects of disulfiram on depression and anxiety were examined. In a 3-week double-blind study, 40 inpatients in al alcohol rehabilitation unit (ARU) were randomly assigned to receive placebo, 250 mg/day of disulfiram or 500 mg/day of disulfiram. During their first week in the ARU and prior to beginning medications, all subjects were administered the Zung self-rating depression scale, the Hamilton observer rating scale for depression, the Zung self-rating scale for anxiety and the Hamilton observer rating scale for anxiety. All subjects were rescored on these instruments at the end of their third week in the ARU. Three psychiatrists, blind to the medication condition, sequentially scored the Hamilton items. To evaluate intergroup differences at baseline as well as changes in scale scores during the 3 weeks, scale scores were subjected to analyses of variance. No statistically significant effect attributable to disulfiram was found but significant changes due to a time effect were noted.