title: The role of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in reducing alcohol consumption.
abstract: Preclinical and clinical studies demonstrated an inverse relationship between serotonergic activity and alcohol consumption. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) fluoxetine, citalopram, and fluvoxamine have subsequently been examined for their ability to reduce alcohol consumption in alcoholic subjects. Interindividual variability in response to SSRIs is large, with reductions in alcohol consumption ranging from 10% to more than 70%. Several factors, including gender, alcoholic subtype, and extent of drinking, appear to affect the treatment efficacy of the SSRIs. A significant challenge for researchers is to identify the subject variables that predict treatment response, providing a basis for guiding alcohol-dependent individuals to the treatment that is most likely to be effective for them. This article reviews the available clinical studies, discusses possible mechanisms of action for the SSRIs, and describes a model for predicting treatment responses in alcoholic subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Naranjo
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Knoke
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D015283:Citalopram / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015897:Comorbidity; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016666:Fluvoxamine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015283:Citalopram; D005473:Fluoxetine; D016666:Fluvoxamine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors