Opioid involvement in alcohol drinking.
A large body of evidence indicates that the endogenous opioid system plays an important role in maintaining alcohol drinking behavior. Evidence is reviewed that indicates that the reinforcing properties of alcohol that lead to continued and repeated bouts of drinking may be due, in part, to alcohol-induced activation of the endogenous opioid system. Much of this evidence is pharmacologic in nature. Blocking the action of endogenous opioid peptides via administration of opioid antagonists significantly attenuates alcohol consumption in animals under a variety of experimental conditions. In clinical trials, opioid receptor antagonists decrease alcohol consumption, relapse rates, subjective high, and alcohol craving in outpatient alcoholics. The potential clinical utility of opioid receptor antagonists in the treatment of alcoholism and alcohol dependence is discussed.
Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46202.
J C
JC
Froehlich
T K
TK
Li
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004723:Endorphins / Q000502:physiology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use
D004723:Endorphins; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D000431:Ethanol