Aticaprant (Clinically Developed Kappa-Opioid Receptor Antagonist) Combined With Naltrexone Prevents Alcohol "Relapse" Drinking.

ABSTRACT: Alcohol relapse is the treatment target for medications development for alcohol dependence. Aticaprant, a selective and short-acting kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) antagonist, has recently been under development for new clinical implications (depression or anhedonia). Recent studies have also found that aticaprant reduces alcohol intake and prevents stress- triggered alcohol seeking in rodents via a KOR-mediated mechanism. Here, we further investigated whether aticaprant alone or in combination with naltrexone (mu-opioid receptor [MOR] antagonist) altered alcohol relapse-like drinking using a mouse alcohol deprivation effect (ADE) paradigm to mimic the relapse episodes in human alcoholics. A long-acting and selective KOR antagonist nor-BNI was used as a reference compound for the effects of t

SUBMITTER: Zhou Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9275124 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature