Treatment of comorbid generalized anxiety in a recently detoxified alcoholic population with a selective serotonergic drug (buspirone).
Recent literature has addressed a common dyad: alcoholism and anxiety. Both disorders have been interdigitated with the brain amine serotonin. We investigated 51 dually diagnosed patients (generalized anxiety/alcohol abuse:dependence) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the serotonin partial agonist buspirone. Buspirone was superior to placebo as an anxiolytic, was well tolerated, and was associated with both a reduction in the number of days desiring alcohol and an overall clinical global improvement.
Tollefson
G D
GD
Department of Psychiatry, Ramsey Clinic, St. Paul, Minnesota.
Montague-Clouse
J
J
Tollefson
S L
SL
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D002065:Buspirone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects*
D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D002065:Buspirone