Abstract
An extensive literature supports the role of dopamine in the development and maintenance of alcohol dependence. Yet the organization of brain dopamine is complex, with multiple dopamine receptor subtypes and distinct effects on reinforcement, craving, motivation and behavior. Several modestly effective pharmacological treatments for alcoholism, including naltrexone, baclofen and ondansetron, affect dopaminergic systems indirectly. Direct dopamine antagonists, including tiapride, quetiapine, ondansetron and clozapine have been shown to be somewhat effective in reducing alcohol consumption in controlled clinical trials. The partial dopamine agonist, aripiprazole has shown mixed efficacy. Dopaminergic medications can have significant side effects. A better understanding of how dopamine affects the various aspects of addictive behavior may lead to more effective medications.
Keywords: Dopamine, alcohol, pharmacotherapy, ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens
Current Pharmaceutical Design
Title: Medications Acting on the Dopaminergic System in the Treatment of Alcoholic Patients
Volume: 16 Issue: 19
Author(s): Robert Swift
Affiliation:
Keywords: Dopamine, alcohol, pharmacotherapy, ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens
Abstract: An extensive literature supports the role of dopamine in the development and maintenance of alcohol dependence. Yet the organization of brain dopamine is complex, with multiple dopamine receptor subtypes and distinct effects on reinforcement, craving, motivation and behavior. Several modestly effective pharmacological treatments for alcoholism, including naltrexone, baclofen and ondansetron, affect dopaminergic systems indirectly. Direct dopamine antagonists, including tiapride, quetiapine, ondansetron and clozapine have been shown to be somewhat effective in reducing alcohol consumption in controlled clinical trials. The partial dopamine agonist, aripiprazole has shown mixed efficacy. Dopaminergic medications can have significant side effects. A better understanding of how dopamine affects the various aspects of addictive behavior may lead to more effective medications.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Swift Robert, Medications Acting on the Dopaminergic System in the Treatment of Alcoholic Patients, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2010; 16 (19) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138161210791516323
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138161210791516323 |
Print ISSN 1381-6128 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4286 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
"Tuberculosis Prevention, Diagnosis and Drug Discovery"
The Nobel Prize-winning discoveries of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and streptomycin have enabled an appropriate diagnosis and an effective treatment of tuberculosis (TB). Since then, many newer diagnosis methods and drugs have been saving millions of lives. Despite advances in the past, TB is still a leading cause of infectious disease mortality ...read more
Current Pharmaceutical challenges in the treatment and diagnosis of neurological dysfunctions
Neurological dysfunctions (MND, ALS, MS, PD, AD, HD, ALS, Autism, OCD etc..) present significant challenges in both diagnosis and treatment, often necessitating innovative approaches and therapeutic interventions. This thematic issue aims to explore the current pharmaceutical landscape surrounding neurological disorders, shedding light on the challenges faced by researchers, clinicians, and ...read more
Emerging and re-emerging diseases
Faced with a possible endemic situation of COVID-19, the world has experienced two important phenomena, the emergence of new infectious diseases and/or the resurgence of previously eradicated infectious diseases. Furthermore, the geographic distribution of such diseases has also undergone changes. This context, in turn, may have a strong relationship with ...read more
Melanoma and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Treatment: Standard of Care and Recent Advances
In this thematic issue, we aim to provide a standard of care of the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. The editor will invite authors from different countries who will write review articles of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. The Diagnosis, Staging, Surgical Treatment, Non-Surgical Treatment all ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Role of microRNAs in Osteoblasts Differentiation and Bone Disorders
Current Medicinal Chemistry γ-Secretase as a Therapeutic Target in Alzheimers Disease
Current Drug Targets Beyond Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors: Novel Cholinergic Treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease
Current Alzheimer Research Effect of Polyherbal Drug Majun Falasfa on the Transgenic Drosophila Model of Parkinson’s Disease
Current Traditional Medicine Magnetic Resonance Elastography
Current Medical Imaging Proteome Adjustments Post Gradual Hypoxic Stress in Barilius bendelisis: Insights into Adaptive Strategies of a Hill Stream Cyprinid
Current Proteomics Patent Selections
Recent Patents on Biomedical Engineering (Discontinued) Physicochemical Properties that Determine Cellular Transport of Nanocarriers In Vitro and In Vivo
Current Organic Chemistry Editorial (Hot Topic: Advances in Dystonia)
Current Neuropharmacology Phenylalanine Hydroxylase Misfolding and Pharmacological Chaperones
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry The Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics and Cognitive Effects of GSK239512, a Selective Histamine H<sub>3</sub> Receptor Antagonist in Patients with Mild to Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease: A Preliminary Investigation
Current Alzheimer Research Clinical Pharmacology of Cyclophosphamide and Ifosfamide
Current Drug Therapy Editorial (Hot Topic: Medicinal Chemistry of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Inhibitors and Related Oxidative Stress)
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Implementing Implementation Science: An Approach for HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment Programs
Current HIV Research Pertussis Toxin (PTX) and its Non-Toxic Derivatives as Vaccine Adjuvant and Microbicide
Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Therapeutic Potential of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Modulators
Current Neuropharmacology Changes in Rat 50-kHz Ultrasonic Vocalizations During Dopamine Denervation and Aging: Relevance to Neurodegeneration
Current Neuropharmacology L-Asparaginase and Inhibitors of Glutamine Synthetase Disclose Glutamine Addiction of β-Catenin-Mutated Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells
Current Cancer Drug Targets Tacrine-Huperzine A Hybrids (Huprines) A New Class of Highly Potent and Selective Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors of Interest for the Treatment of Alzheimer Disease
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Cytokines in the Central Nervous System: Targets for Therapeutic Intervention
Current Drug Targets - CNS & Neurological Disorders