Effects of Varenicline on Neural Correlates of Alcohol Salience in Heavy Drinkers.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Preclinical and emerging clinical evidence indicates that varenicline, a nicotinic partial agonist approved for smoking cessation, attenuates alcohol seeking and consumption. Reductions of alcohol craving have been observed under varenicline treatment and suggest effects of the medication on alcohol reward processing, but this hypothesis remains untested.

Methods

In this double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized experimental medicine study, 29 heavy drinkers underwent a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan after 2 weeks of varenicline (2mg/d) or placebo administration. During functional magnetic resonance imaging, participants performed the Alcohol-Food Incentive Delay task, where they could earn points for snacks or alcohol. At baseline and after 3 weeks

SUBMITTER: Vatsalya V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4675979 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature