Anti-craving compounds for ethanol: new pharmacological tools to study addictive processes.
Anti-craving compounds have recently been registered for relapse prophylaxis in weaned alcoholics in various European countries (acamprosate), and in the United States (naltrexone). Acamprosate, the Ca(2+)-salt of N-acetyl-homotaurinate, interacts with NMDA receptor-mediated glutamatergic neurotransmission in various brain regions and reduces Ca2+ fluxes through voltage-operated channels. The opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone most likely interferes with alcohol-induced reinforcement via the block of opioid receptors. In this article Rainer Spanagel and Walter Zieglgänsberger discuss the pivotal role of incremental neuroadaptation to alcohol and alcohol-associated stimuli for craving, and the possible mechanisms of action underlying the anti-craving properties of acamprosate and naltrexone.
Spanagel
R
R
Drug Abuse Group, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
Zieglgänsberger
W
W
D000077443:Acamprosate; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000187:drug effects; D012008:Recurrence; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects; D013654:Taurine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D015220:Calcium Channels; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D013654:Taurine; D009271:Naltrexone; D000077443:Acamprosate