A Narrative Review of Current and Emerging Trends in the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder
Brain Sciences March 20, 2024 Muhammet Celik, Mark S. Gold, Brian Fuehrlein 22 citations
Alcohol use disorder contributes to over 140,000 annual deaths in the United States, over 200 related diseases globally, and 5.1% of the global disease burden, yet remains undertreated with few approved medications. This narrative review describes the current treatment landscape and novel strategies for alcohol withdrawal syndrome and AUD, including psychedelics combined with psychotherapy, noninvasive neural-circuit-based interventions, phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors, and GLP-1 receptor agonists. Recent studies show promising results for these approaches, but further research is needed to fully understand their effectiveness. The shortage of approved medications and other treatment modalities highlights the urgent need for continued investigation.