Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at the University of California San Francisco, 5858 Horton Street, Suite 200 Emeryville, CA 94608, USA.
CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets. 2010 Mar;9(1):60-76. doi: 10.2174/187152710790966597.
Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are complex, and developing effective treatments will require the combination of novel medications and cognitive behavioral therapy approaches. Epidemiological studies have shown there is a high correlation between alcohol consumption and tobacco use, and the prevalence of smoking in alcoholics is as high as 80% compared to about 30% for the general population. Both preclinical and clinical data provide evidence that nicotine administration increases alcohol intake and non-specific nicotinic receptor antagonists reduce alcohol-mediated behaviors. As nicotine interacts specifically with the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) system, this suggests that nAChRs play an important role in the behavioral effects of alcohol. In this review, we discuss the importance of nAChRs for the treatment of AUDs and argue that the use of FDA approved nAChR ligands, such as varenicline and mecamylamine, approved as smoking cessation aids may prove to be valuable treatments for AUDs. We also address the importance of combining effective medications with behavioral therapy for the treatment of alcohol dependent individuals.
酒精使用障碍（AUD）是复杂的，开发有效的治疗方法将需要新型药物和认知行为治疗方法的结合。流行病学研究表明，饮酒和吸烟之间存在高度相关性，酗酒者的吸烟率高达 80%，而普通人群的吸烟率约为 30%。临床前和临床数据都提供了证据，表明尼古丁给药会增加酒精摄入量，而非特异性烟碱受体拮抗剂会减少酒精介导的行为。由于尼古丁与神经元烟碱乙酰胆碱受体（nAChR）系统特异性相互作用，这表明 nAChRs 在酒精的行为效应中发挥重要作用。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了 nAChRs 对 AUD 治疗的重要性，并认为使用已批准的 FDA 烟碱受体配体，如作为戒烟辅助药物的伐尼克兰和美金刚胺，可能会被证明是 AUD 的有效治疗方法。我们还讨论了将有效的药物与行为疗法相结合治疗酒精依赖个体的重要性。
