Neural Mechanisms Underlying the Rewarding and Therapeutic Effects of Ketamine as a Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder.

ABSTRACT: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is the most prevalent substance use disorder and causes a significant global burden. Relapse rates remain incredibly high after decades of attempting to develop novel treatment options that have failed to produce increased rates of sobriety. Ketamine has emerged as a potential treatment for AUD following its success as a therapeutic agent for depression, demonstrated by several preclinical studies showing that acute administration reduced alcohol intake in rodents. As such, ketamine's therapeutic effects for AUD are now being investigated in clinical trials with the hope of it being efficacious in prolonging sobriety from alcohol in humans (ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT01558063). Importantly, ketamine's antidepressant effects only last for about 1-week and

SUBMITTER: Strong CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7759199 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature