Evaluation of alcohol use disorders pharmacotherapies in a new preclinical model of binge drinking.

Evaluation of alcohol use disorders pharmacotherapies in a new preclinical model of binge drinking. Neuropharmacology. 2018 Jul 18;: Authors: González-Marín MC, Lebourgeois S, Jeanblanc J, Diouf M, Naassila M Abstract Binge drinking is defined as a pattern of drinking leading to intoxication in a single short session and is a serious but preventable public health problem. Only few animal models of voluntary binge drinking using an operant paradigm are available in outbred animals and in general they do not display good face validity. We recently set up a new model of binge drinking behavior using an operant self-administration paradigm in which rats drink to intoxication level in 15-min daily session. Here we tested the current pharmacotherapies of alcohol use disorder: Acamprosate, (R)-Baclofen, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, Nalmefene and Naltrexone. Our results show that all drugs are effective in reducing ethanol drinking. All drugs except Acamprosate also reduced the motivational properties of ethanol (breakpoint). (R)-Baclofen and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid were effective on ethanol intake at doses devoid of side effects. Among the tested drugs only (R)-Baclofen, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid and Naltrexone reduced reacquisition after a period of abstinence. Interestingly, the efficacy of all drugs except Nalmefene to reduce ethanol drinking was slightly and positively correlated with the basal level of drinking thus revealing heavy d...
Source: Neuropharmacology - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Tags: Neuropharmacology Source Type: research