Olanzapine reduces urge to drink after drinking cues and a priming dose of alcohol

Haloperidol, a D2 antagonist, has been shown to moderate the effects of alcohol consumption on craving. The present study was designed to determine whether a single 5-mg dose of olanzapine (a D2/5-HT2 antagonist) would influence responses to alcohol cues or an alcohol challenge. It was hypothesized...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychopharmacologia 2001-04, Vol.155 (1), p.27-34
Main Authors: HUTCHISON, Kent E, SWIFT, Robert, ROHSENOW, Damaris J, MONTI, Peter M, DAVIDSON, Dena, ALMEIDA, Alissa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Alcohol Drinking - drug therapy
Alcohol Drinking - psychology
Alcoholism and acute alcohol poisoning
Analysis of Variance
Behavior - drug effects
Behavior - physiology
Benzodiazepines
Biological and medical sciences
Central Nervous System Depressants - pharmacology
Cues
Ethanol - pharmacology
Female
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Olanzapine
Pirenzepine - analogs & derivatives
Pirenzepine - therapeutic use
Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors - therapeutic use
Toxicology
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Summary:Haloperidol, a D2 antagonist, has been shown to moderate the effects of alcohol consumption on craving. The present study was designed to determine whether a single 5-mg dose of olanzapine (a D2/5-HT2 antagonist) would influence responses to alcohol cues or an alcohol challenge. It was hypothesized that olanzapine would attenuate cue-elicited urge to drink, attenuate the effects of alcohol consumption on urge to drink, and reduce the rewarding effects of alcohol. To test these hypotheses, 26 heavy social drinkers were randomized to receive either 5 mg olanzapine or placebo approximately 8 h before each of two experimental sessions. Participants consumed a moderate dose of alcohol in one experimental session and a non-alcohol control beverage in another session. Results indicated that mere exposure to alcohol cues and consumption of alcohol increased urge to drink and that olanzapine attenuated these effects. Results also indicated that alcohol increased subjective stimulation and high while olanzapine did not moderate these effects. These results suggest that olanzapine did not influence the rewarding effects of alcohol but did attenuate the effects of alcohol cues and an alcohol challenge on urge to drink.
ISSN:0033-3158
1432-2072
DOI:10.1007/s002130000629