Pharmacotherapy for Alcohol Use Disorder: Current and Emerging Therapies

Overview

Journal Harv Rev Psychiatry

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2015 Mar 10

PMID 25747925

Citations 38

Authors

Robert M Swift

Elizabeth R Aston

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Alcohol use disorder is a heterogeneous illness with a complex biology that is controlled by many genes and gene-by-environment interactions. Several efficacious, evidence-based treatments currently exist for treating and managing alcohol use disorder, including a number of pharmacotherapies that target specific aspects of biology that initiate and maintain dangerous alcohol misuse. This article reviews the neurobiological and neurobehavioral foundation of alcohol use disorder, the mechanisms of action and evidence for the efficacy of currently approved medications for treatment, and the literature on other emerging pharmacotherapies.

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