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Review
. 2024 May;131(5):525-561.
doi: 10.1007/s00702-024-02757-3. Epub 2024 Mar 30.

Epigenetic drugs and psychedelics as emerging therapies for alcohol use disorder: insights from preclinical studies

Fahd François Hilal  1 , Jerome Jeanblanc  1 , Chloé Deschamps  1 , Mickael Naassila #  2 , Olivier Pierrefiche #  1 , Sami Ben Hamida #  3
Affiliations
Review

Epigenetic drugs and psychedelics as emerging therapies for alcohol use disorder: insights from preclinical studies

Fahd François Hilal et al. J Neural Transm (Vienna). 2024 May.

Abstract

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a public health issue that affects millions of people worldwide leading to physical, mental and socio-economic consequences. While current treatments for AUD have provided relief to individuals, their effectiveness on the long term is often limited, leaving a number of affected individuals without sustainable solutions. In this review, we aim to explore two emerging approaches for AUD: psychedelics and epigenetic drugs (i.e., epidrugs). By examining preclinical studies, different animal species and procedures, we delve into the potential benefits of each of these treatments in terms of addictive behaviors (alcohol drinking and seeking, motivation to drink alcohol and prevention of relapse). Because psychedelics and epidrugs may share common and complementary mechanisms of action, there is an exciting opportunity for exploring synergies between these approaches and their parallel effectiveness in treating AUD and the diverse associated psychiatric conditions.

Keywords: Alcohol use disorder; Animal models; Epidrugs; Psychedelics; Synaptic plasticity.

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