title: Pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy for the treatment of alcoholism in Germany.
abstract: Although past alcoholism treatment in Germany has primarily focused on psychotherapy, new advances in pharmacotherapy are expanding therapeutic options. Recent biomedical studies have produced new theories about how alcohol affects neurotransmitters in the brain. These studies have led to new pharmacologic strategies for the treatment of alcoholism using dopamine agonists and antagonists, serotoninergic agents, glutamate antagonists, and opiate antagonists. While preliminary studies of these agents offer encouraging results, it remains to be demonstrated which agent(s) will provide effective pharmacotherapy for this disease.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatrische Klinik und Poliklinik, Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soyka
mesh_terms: D000427:Alcohol Deterrents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D011613:Psychotherapy; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000427:Alcohol Deterrents; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs