TY - JOUR
T1 - Turning the clock ahead
T2 - Potential preclinical and clinical neuropharmacological targets for alcohol dependence
AU - Leggio, Lorenzo
AU - Cardone, Silvia
AU - Ferrulli, Anna
AU - Kenna, George A.
AU - Diana, Marco
AU - Swift, Robert M.
AU - Addolorato, Giovanni
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - Treating alcohol use disorders represents a main goal in public health, but the effect of current medications is modest. Thus, in the last few years, research has been focusing on identifying new neuropharmacological targets for alcohol dependence. This review will summarize recent research, which has identified new targets to treat alcohol dependence. A variety of systems have been investigated, such as the endocannabinoid system, modulators of glutamatergic transmission, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), neuropeptide Y (NPY), nociceptin, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), acetaldehyde (ACD), substance P and Neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAchRs), alpha-adrenergic receptor, and many others. Compared to preclinical studies, only a few clinical studies have been conducted so far. Thus, there is a critical need to translate successful preclinical results into human clinical trials. However, since some clinical studies have failed to replicate preclinical findings, future research will have not only to identify more efficacious medications, but also delineate the best match between a particular pharmacotherapy with a specific alcoholic subtype.
AB - Treating alcohol use disorders represents a main goal in public health, but the effect of current medications is modest. Thus, in the last few years, research has been focusing on identifying new neuropharmacological targets for alcohol dependence. This review will summarize recent research, which has identified new targets to treat alcohol dependence. A variety of systems have been investigated, such as the endocannabinoid system, modulators of glutamatergic transmission, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), neuropeptide Y (NPY), nociceptin, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), acetaldehyde (ACD), substance P and Neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAchRs), alpha-adrenergic receptor, and many others. Compared to preclinical studies, only a few clinical studies have been conducted so far. Thus, there is a critical need to translate successful preclinical results into human clinical trials. However, since some clinical studies have failed to replicate preclinical findings, future research will have not only to identify more efficacious medications, but also delineate the best match between a particular pharmacotherapy with a specific alcoholic subtype.
KW - Alcohol dependence
KW - Neurobiology
KW - Pharmacotherapy
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77955632266&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2174/138161210791516369
DO - 10.2174/138161210791516369
M3 - Article
C2 - 20482506
AN - SCOPUS:77955632266
SN - 1381-6128
VL - 16
SP - 2159
EP - 2181
JO - Current Pharmaceutical Design
JF - Current Pharmaceutical Design
IS - 19
ER -