Dr. Henry R. Kranzler and colleagues from the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington believe that the use of Abilify (aripiprazole) may be of use to patients battling an addiction to alcohol.
Abilify, a drug used to treat the symptoms of psychosis in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder was found to increase the sedative effects of alcohol and decrease the euphoric effects. The drug apparently works by affecting the dopamine receptors in the brain and thus reducing the reinforcing effects of alcohol.
While treatment with Abilify was generally well tolerated, researchers found that the most commonly reported adverse effect was tiredness, nausea, headache and difficulty sleeping.
The researchers agree that while the drug has potential in the treatment of alcohol addiction more research needs to be conducted before a definitive conclusion can be reached.
The results of the study were published in "Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research".
[Source: YahooNews]
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