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McManus KR, Belnap M, Kirsch DE, Ray LA, Grodin EN. Effects of alcohol and cannabis co-use on salience network resting state functional connectivity in individuals who drink alcohol heavily. Drug Alcohol Depend 2025; 268:112577. [PMID: 39929057 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2025.112577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2024] [Revised: 01/15/2025] [Accepted: 01/15/2025] [Indexed: 02/19/2025]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The salience network may be linked to addiction. Evidence suggests less salience network resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) from heavy alcohol use, but higher rsFC within and between brain networks from regular cannabis use. Given the rise in alcohol-cannabis co-use, the present study sought to elucidate rsFC between regions within the salience network and regions across the whole brain in individuals who use no drugs regularly, those who use alcohol only heavily, and those who co-use alcohol-cannabis. METHODS This is a secondary analysis of three clinical laboratory studies. A total of sixty individuals were classified into one of three groups based on their drug use: control (n = 16), heavy alcohol use only (n = 27), and heavy alcohol and regular cannabis co-use (n = 17). All participants completed resting state fMRI scans. Seed regions from the salience network were used to examine group differences in rsFC. RESULTS Main effects of group on rsFC emerged between the anterior cingulate cortex, left and right anterior insula, and left supramarginal gyrus seeds and regions associated with motor, sensory, visual, and executive control functioning (all ps < 0.05). Post-hoc analyses revealed less rsFC between alcohol-only and co-use groups as compared to controls (all ps < 0.05), but no differences between alcohol-only and co-use groups (all ps > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS This preliminary study suggests that co-using alcohol-cannabis may not be associated with any additive or contrasting effects on rsFC compared to using alcohol alone. Thus, in individuals who co-use alcohol-cannabis, alcohol may drive neural alterations associated with inhibitory control and substance craving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin R McManus
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Malia Belnap
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States; Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Dylan E Kirsch
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
| | - Lara A Ray
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States; Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
| | - Erica N Grodin
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States; Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Köhne S, Hillemacher T, Glahn A, Bach P. Emerging drugs in phase II and III clinical development for the treatment of alcohol use disorder. Expert Opin Emerg Drugs 2024; 29:219-232. [PMID: 38606899 DOI: 10.1080/14728214.2024.2342951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) poses an ongoing significant global health burden. AUD is highly prevalent and affects not only the individuals with AUD, but also their communities and society at large. Even though pharmacotherapy is an integral part of AUD treatment, the few available substances show limited efficacy and limited clinical impact. Thus, there is a need for new innovative pharmacotherapeutic approaches. AREAS COVERED This paper provides a comprehensive review of drugs approved for the treatment of AUD as well as those currently in phase II and III development. Data from recent clinical trials has been reviewed and supplemented by additional literature based on a systematic search of the PubMed database and clinical trials registries. Compounds discussed include disulfiram, naltrexone, nalmefene, acamprosat, baclofen, sodium oxybate, doxazosin, varenicline, zonisamide, gabapentin, apremilast, ibudilast, ivermectin, tolcapone, mifepristone, suvorexant, ketamine, psilocybin, semaglutide, oxytocin and cannabidiol. EXPERT OPINION Even though the majority of the discussed compounds lack sufficient evidence to support their efficacy, multiple promising new treatment options are currently under investigation. Future research has to consider specific phenotypes and subgroups of AUD as well as a possible enhancement of the effects of psychotherapy through combination with pharmacotherapy. Practitioners should be encouraged to use available compounds to support existing therapeutic regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Köhne
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Thomas Hillemacher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Paracelsus Medical University Nuremberg, Nürnberg, Germany
| | - Alexander Glahn
- Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Patrick Bach
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim. Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Jerlhag E. Ghrelin system and GLP-1 as potential treatment targets for alcohol use disorder. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 178:401-432. [PMID: 39523062 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2024.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2024]
Abstract
Peptides of the gut-brain axis have gained recent attention as potential treatment targets for addiction. While the number of gut-brain peptides is vast, ghrelin and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) have been suggested as important players. Ghrelin is traditionally considered an orexigenic peptide, but recent studies found that it increases alcohol intake in rodents and craving for alcohol in humans. Additionally, suppression of the ghrelin receptor attenuates alcohol-related responses in animal models reflecting alcohol use disorder (AUD). For instance, a lower alcohol intake, suppressed motivation to consume alcohol, and attenuated reward from alcohol is observed after ghrelin receptor antagonism treatment. On a similar note, a partial ghrelin receptor agonist prevents hangover symptoms in humans. When it comes to the anorexigenic peptide GLP-1, agonists of its receptor are approved to treat diabetes type 2 and obesity. Extensive preclinical studies have revealed that these GLP-1 receptor agonists reduce alcohol intake, suppress the motivation to consume alcohol, and prevent relapse drink, with effects tentatively associated with a reduced alcohol-induced reward. These preclinical findings have to some extent been varied in humans, as GLP-1 receptor agonists decrease alcohol intake in overweight patients with AUD. Furthermore, genetic variations in either the genes encoding for pre-pro-ghrelin, GHSR, GLP-1, or its receptor, are associated with AUD and heavy alcohol drinking. While central mechanisms appear to modulate the ability of either ghrelin or GLP-1 to regulate alcohol-related responses the exact mechanisms have not been defined. Taken together these preclinical and clinical data imply that gut-brain peptides participate in the addiction process and should be considered as potential targets for AUD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabet Jerlhag
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Pharmacology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Robinson LE, Didier N, Thomas R, Vena A, King A. Combination Treatment With Varenicline and Nicotine Patch on Smoking Cessation Outcomes in Heavy Drinkers at 26-Week Follow-up. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2024; 44:362-368. [PMID: 38752924 PMCID: PMC11211054 DOI: 10.1097/jcp.0000000000001864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND People who smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol heavily are less likely to quit smoking compared with those who do not drink heavily. The current study examined the effects of a 12-week treatment phase of combination varenicline and nicotine patch compared with placebo and nicotine patch on smoking cessation (primary outcome) and alcohol consumption (secondary outcome) in heavy drinking smokers at 26-week follow-up. METHODS/PROCEDURES Participants were daily smokers who met heavy drinking criteria. They were randomly assigned to receive either varenicline and nicotine patch (n = 61) or placebo and nicotine patch (n = 61) for 12 weeks. At week 26, self-reports of point prevalence cigarette abstinence were biochemically confirmed, and past-month alcohol drinking days and heavy drinking days were assessed. FINDINGS/RESULTS At week 26, smoking quit rates did not differ by treatment group (25% varenicline and 26% placebo). Relative to week 12 outcomes, week 26 quit rates significantly dropped off in the varenicline group but not in the placebo group. Alcohol drinking reductions for the whole sample that were previously observed from baseline to week 12 were sustained at week 26, although they did not differ between treatment groups. IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS In heavy drinking smokers, smoking cessation success was evident in a quarter of the total sample at 3 months postmedication discontinuation. At this time, quit rates were the same between those who received varenicline and nicotine patch and those who received nicotine patch alone. Future research is warranted to examine what may aid in longer-term smoking quit rates in heavy drinking smokers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Layne E Robinson
- From the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago IL
| | - Nathan Didier
- From the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago IL
| | - Riya Thomas
- From the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago IL
| | | | - Andrea King
- From the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago IL
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Meredith LR, Burnette EM, Nieto SJ, Du H, Donato S, Grodin EN, Green R, Magill M, Baskerville WA, Ray LA. Testing pharmacotherapies for alcohol use disorder with cue exposure paradigms: A systematic review and quantitative synthesis of human laboratory trial methodology. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 47:1629-1645. [PMID: 37423771 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol cue exposure is a widely used experimental paradigm for screening pharmacotherapies for alcohol use disorder (AUD). Medication-related reductions in cue-reactivity signal early efficacy and inform medications development. Yet, across trials, the design of cue exposure, parameter testing, and outcome reporting is heterogeneous. This systematic review is a quantitative synthesis of trial methodologies and effect size estimation for AUD medication-related craving and psychophysiological outcomes under the cue exposure paradigm. A PubMed search was conducted on January 3, 2022 based on identified pharmacotherapies for peer-reviewed articles reported in English. Study-level characteristics, including sample descriptors, paradigm design, analytic approach, and Cochrane Risk of Bias, along with descriptive statistics for cue-exposure outcomes, were coded by two independent raters. Study-level effect sizes were estimated for craving and psychophysiological outcomes separately and sample-level effect sizes were calculated for each medication. Thirty-six trials, comprising 1640 participants and testing 19 different medications satisfied eligibility criteria. All studies reported on biological sex (71% male participants on average). The exposure paradigms implemented used in vivo (n = 26), visual (n = 8), and audio script (n = 2) cues. Some trials included means for craving by medication condition in text (k = 7) or figures (k = 18). The quantitative synthesis included 63 effect sizes (craving kes = 47; psychophysiological kes = 16) from 28 unique randomized trials testing 15 medications for effects on cue reactivity. For cue-induced craving, eight medications (kes range: 1-12) demonstrated small-to-medium effects (Cohen's d range: |0.24-0.64|) compared to placebo, with individuals randomized to receive medication reporting lower craving following cue exposure. Recommendations are provided to promote further consilience, so that the utility of cue exposure paradigms can be maximized in the development of effective AUD pharmacotherapies. Future work should explore the predictive utility of medication-related reductions in cue-reactivity on clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay R Meredith
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Burnette
- Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Steven J Nieto
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Han Du
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Suzanna Donato
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Erica N Grodin
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - ReJoyce Green
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Molly Magill
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Wave-Ananda Baskerville
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Lara A Ray
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Aranäs C, Blid Sköldheden S, Jerlhag E. Antismoking agents do not contribute synergistically to semaglutide's ability to reduce alcohol intake in rats. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1180512. [PMID: 37719854 PMCID: PMC10500129 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1180512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Preclinical studies have identified glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists, and the antismoking agents varenicline and bupropion as tentative agents for treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Combining different medications is a recent approach that has gained attention regarding heterogenous and difficult-to-treat diseases, like AUD. Successfully, this approach has been tested for the combination of varenicline and bupropion as it prevents relapse to alcohol drinking in rats. However, studies assessing the effects of the combination of semaglutide, an FDA-approved GLP-1R agonist for diabetes type II, and varenicline or bupropion to reduce alcohol intake in male and female rats remains to be conducted. Another approach to influence treatment outcome is to combine a medication with feeding interventions like high fat diet (HFD). While HFD reduces alcohol intake, the ability of the combination of HFD and semaglutide to alter alcohol drinking is unknown and thus the subject for a pilot study. Therefore, three intermittent alcohol drinking experiments were conducted to elucidate the effectiveness of these treatment combinations. We show that semaglutide, bupropion or HFD reduces alcohol intake in male as well as female rats. While various studies reveal beneficial effects of combinatorial pharmacotherapies for the treatment of AUD, we herein do not report any additive effects on alcohol intake by adding either varenicline or bupropion to semaglutide treatment. Neither does HFD exposure alter the ability of semaglutide to reduce alcohol intake. Although no additive effects by the combinatorial treatments are found, these findings collectively provide insight into possible monotherapeutical treatments for AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Elisabet Jerlhag
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Grodin EN, Meredith LR, Burnette EM, Miotto K, Irwin MR, Ray LA. Baseline C-reactive protein levels are predictive of treatment response to a neuroimmune modulator in individuals with an alcohol use disorder: a preliminary study. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2023; 49:333-344. [PMID: 36282988 PMCID: PMC10840759 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2022.2124918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Background: Inflammation is implicated in alcohol use disorder (AUD). Ibudilast, a neuroimmune modulator, shows promise for the treatment of AUD. Elevated inflammation, indicated by high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), represents a possible subtype of AUD, which may be associated with treatment response to ibudilast.Objectives: The current study evaluated CRP as a predictor of treatment response to ibudilast; hypothesizing that ibudilast would be more effective at reducing drinking and alcohol cue-reactivity in individuals with higher CRP levels.Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a clinical trial of ibudilast for AUD, which found that ibudilast reduced heavy drinking in individuals with AUD. Fifty-one individuals were randomized to receive ibudilast (n = 24 [16 M/8F]) or placebo (n = 27 [18 M/9F]) for two weeks. Participants provided blood samples at baseline to assess CRP levels, completed daily assessments of alcohol use, and an fMRI alcohol cue-reactivity task at study mid-point. Models tested the effects of medication, CRP levels, and their interaction on drinks per drinking day and alcohol cue-reactivity.Results: There was a significant interaction between medication and CRP (F = 3.80, p = .03), such that the ibudilast high CRP group had fewer drinks per drinking day compared to the ibudilast low CRP group. CRP moderated the effect of medication on brain activation in a cluster extending from the left inferior frontal gyrus to the right-dorsal striatum (Z = 4.55, p < .001). This interaction was driven by attenuated cue-reactivity in the ibudilast high CRP group relative to the ibudilast low CRP and placebo high CRP groups.Conclusions: This study serves as an initial investigation into predictors of clinical response to ibudilast treatment and suggests that a baseline proinflammatory profile may enhance clinical efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica N. Grodin
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Lindsay R. Meredith
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Elizabeth M. Burnette
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Karen Miotto
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Michael R. Irwin
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Jane & Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Lara A. Ray
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
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