New achievements and pharmacotherapeutic approaches in the treatment of alcohol dependence

The treatment of alcohol dependence mainly consists of psychological, social, and pharmacotherapeutic interventions aiming to reduce physical withdrawal, craving, and alcohol relapse. During the last years, it has become increasingly clear that adjuvant pharmacotherapy is efficacious especially in rehabilitation programs for alcohol dependent patients. The development of alcohol dependence seems to involve adaptive changes in amino acid neurotransmitter systems, stimulation of dopamine and opioid peptide systems, and changes in serotonergic activity. Disulfiram, naltrexone and acamprosate are approved treatments for the management of abstinence maintenance treatment. New compounds are under investigation. This review discusses the neurobiological basis of alcohol addiction, pharmacological targets for relapse prevention treatment and pre-clinical and clinical results with the most promising drugs.