@article{ref1,
title="A combination of naltrexone + varenicline retards the expression of a genetic predisposition toward high alcohol drinking",
journal="Alcoholism: clinical and experimental research",
year="2017",
author="Froehlich, Janice C. and Fischer, Stephen M. and Nicholson, Emily R. and Dilley, Julian E. and Filosa, Nicholas J. and Smith, Teal N. and Rademacher, Logan C.",
volume="41",
number="3",
pages="644-652",
abstract="BACKGROUND: This study examined whether naltrexone (NTX) or varenicline (VAR), alone or in combination, can retard the phenotypic expression of a genetic predisposition toward high alcohol drinking in rats selectively bred for high alcohol intake when drug treatment is initiated prior to, or concomitantly with, the onset of alcohol drinking. <br><br>METHODS: Alcohol-naïve P rats were treated daily with NTX (15.0 mg/kg BW), VAR (1.0 mg/kg BW), a combination of NTX (15.0 mg/kg BW) + VAR (1.0 mg/kg BW), or vehicle (VEH) for 2 weeks prior to, or concomitantly with, their first opportunity to drink alcohol and throughout 21 days of daily 2-hour alcohol access. Drug treatment was then discontinued for 3 weeks followed by reinstatement of drug treatment for an additional 3 weeks. <br><br>RESULTS: When P rats were pretreated with drug for 2 weeks prior to onset of alcohol access, only NTX+VAR in combination blocked the acquisition of alcohol drinking in alcohol-naïve P rats. When drug treatment was initiated concomitantly with the first opportunity to drink alcohol, NTX alone, VAR alone, and NTX+VAR blocked the acquisition of alcohol drinking. Following termination of drug treatment, NTX+VAR and VAR alone continued to reduce alcohol drinking but by the end of 3 weeks without drug treatment, alcohol intake in all groups was comparable to that seen in the vehicle-treated group as the expression of a genetic predisposition toward high alcohol drinking emerged in the drug-free P rats. After 3 weeks without drug treatment, reinstatement of NTX+VAR treatment again reduced alcohol intake. <br><br>CONCLUSION: A combination of NTX+VAR, when administered prior to, or concomitantly with, the first opportunity to drink alcohol, blocks the acquisition of alcohol drinking during both initial access to alcohol and during a later period of alcohol access in P rats with a genetic predisposition toward high alcohol intake. The results suggest that NTX+VAR may be effective in curtailing alcohol drinking in individuals at high genetic risk for developing alcoholism. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.<br><br>This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0145-6008",
doi="10.1111/acer.13326",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/acer.13326"
}