PMID: 7580816Sep 1, 1995Paper

Acamprosate in alcohol dependence: how does it work?

Addiction
J Littleton

Abstract

Acamprosate is a relatively new drug that appears to be clinically useful in the treatment of alcohol dependence. Although it has proved effective in reducing relapse into drinking in clinical trials its exact mechanism of action is uncertain. Evidence is presented that the drug does not act in any of the conventional ways to reduce alcohol intake and it is proposed that it may be a novel kind of agent that suppresses "craving". On the basis of its known pharmacological effects in pre-clinical studies it is suggested that acamprosate may reduce craving that is associated with conditioned withdrawal. In addition to the potential therapeutic value of acamprosate, the drug may be useful because work directed toward understanding its mechanism of action may shed light on some of the fundamental processes that govern alcohol abuse and relapse in weaned alcohol dependent patients.

References

May 1, 1992·Trends in Pharmacological Sciences·H H Samson, R A Harris
Jan 1, 1992·Journal of Substance Abuse·R M Swift, R L Stout
Jun 28, 1992·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·S RassnickG F Koob
Jan 1, 1992·Psychopharmacology·S J Robbins, R N Ehrman
Apr 1, 1992·Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior·M DaoustP Durbin
Jun 1, 1992·Drug and Alcohol Dependence·R W Pickens, C E Johanson
Jul 1, 1991·Journal of General Internal Medicine·P G O'ConnorR I Horwitz
Mar 1, 1989·Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior·K A Grant, W L Woolverton
Nov 1, 1984·Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior·F BoismareJ Durlach
Dec 1, 1994·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·L O BauerV M Hesselbrock
Nov 1, 1994·Addiction·J Littleton, H Little
Oct 1, 1994·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·T WetterlingM Driessen
Oct 1, 1994·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·M E HeikkinenJ K Lönnqvist
Jun 1, 1994·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·L O Bauer
Mar 1, 1994·Journal of Studies on Alcohol·S Glautier, D C Drummond
Feb 1, 1994·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·C C Cunningham, P I Spach
Feb 1, 1994·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·Y IsraelF J Carmichael
Sep 1, 1993·Brain Research. Brain Research Reviews·T E Robinson, K C Berridge
Jan 1, 1993·Neuropsychopharmacology : Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology·H A Baldwin, G F Koob
Jul 5, 2007·Journal of Lipid Research·Barbara P AtshavesFriedhelm Schroeder

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Oct 19, 2010·European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience·Karl Mann, Derik Hermann
Sep 10, 2004·Current Psychiatry Reports·Hugh Myrick, Raymond Anton
Dec 12, 1996·European Journal of Pharmacology·J PutzkeW Zieglgänsberger
Dec 28, 1999·European Journal of Pharmacology·F ChenA J Lawrence
Feb 13, 2001·Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior·M NaassilaM Daoust
Nov 5, 1999·Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior·M F StrombergS A Mackler
Jun 14, 2003·Pharmacology & Therapeutics·John H KrystalD Cyril D'Souza
Oct 9, 2002·Addictive Behaviors·G Alan Marlatt, Katie Witkiewitz
Apr 6, 1999·Schizophrenia Research·J H KrystalI L Petrakis
Jan 26, 2005·Neuropsychopharmacology : Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology·Daniel BachtelerRainer Spanagel
May 13, 1999·The New England Journal of Medicine·R M Swift
Jan 30, 2003·Alcohol and Alcoholism : International Journal of the Medical Council on Alcoholism·Andreas HeinzKarl Mann
Aug 1, 1997·Addiction·J Moncrieff, D C Drummond
Jun 9, 2006·Addiction Biology·Tobie Escher, Guy Mittleman
Apr 1, 1996·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·J Chick, C K Erickson
Aug 1, 1996·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·R Z LittenJ Fertig
Aug 1, 1997·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·S M HölterR Spanagel
May 15, 1998·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·R V Martín-AlgarraC Guerri
Apr 6, 2001·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·C L CzachowskiH H Samson
Jun 8, 2001·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·J A BoeningG A Wiesbeck
Dec 1, 2006·Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment·Tara M Wright, Hugh Myrick

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.