Glucocorticoid receptor antagonism decreases alcohol seeking in alcohol-dependent individuals.

ABSTRACT: Alcoholism, or alcohol use disorder, is a major public health concern that is a considerable risk factor for morbidity and disability; therefore, effective treatments are urgently needed. Here, we demonstrated that the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonist mifepristone reduces alcohol intake in alcohol-dependent rats but not in nondependent animals. Both systemic delivery and direct administration into the central nucleus of the amygdala, a critical stress-related brain region, were sufficient to reduce alcohol consumption in dependent animals. We also tested the use of mifepristone in 56 alcohol-dependent human subjects as part of a double-blind clinical and laboratory-based study. Relative to placebo, individuals who received mifepristone (600 mg daily taken orally for 1 week) exhibite

SUBMITTER: Vendruscolo LF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4563748 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature