Behavioral Neurobiology of Alcohol Addiction: A Decade of Great Challenges, New Hopes, and Hypes.
Current topics in behavioral neurosciences July 12, 2025 Wolfgang H Sommer, Rainer Spanagel
Over a decade after the first edition of "Behavioral Neurobiology of Alcohol Addiction," the field faces persistent challenges and emerging opportunities in developing treatments for alcohol use disorder (AUD). The translational gap between preclinical findings and new treatments remains, exacerbated by a replicability crisis in animal research, publication biases, and limited predictive validity of existing models. Advances offering renewed hope include molecular and circuit-level technologies, AI-driven data analysis, real-world assessments, and new pharmacological candidates such as GLP-1 agonists and psychedelics. Recognition of inflammation, pain, and neuroimmune factors as integral to AUD is increasing. The authors caution against exaggerated claims and oversimplified models, and argue that neurobiological progress must be complemented by public health strategies to reduce stigma and improve access to care.