Technologies

To date, most alcohol and substance-abuse drugs have been plagued by moderate efficacy and a lack of specific target mechanisms. A new approach is proposed involving weighted inhibition of the brain's alpha 2 noradrenergic receptors (A2) and dopamine D2 receptors (D2). Lowered dependency on alcohol has been observed in alcoholic schizophrenics using clozapine, an anti-psychotic that represents an A2/D2 dual inhibitor balance. The unexpected effects of clozapine on alcohol abuse were further validated using a selected strain of alcohol-preferring hamsters, whereby the treatment group experienced an 88% reduction in alcohol consumption compared to controls. It is proposed that clozapine reduces alcohol dependency by affecting the dopamine-mediated reward pathways, and that modulation of A2/D2 inhibition may lead to novel pharmaceutical compositions.