Publications by authors named "Tristan Hurzeler"
Article Synopsis
- - Topiramate has shown effectiveness in reducing alcohol use and possibly lowering anxiety severity in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD), compared to naltrexone, another medication used for AUD.
- - In a study with 42 treatment-seeking AUD patients, participants were given either topiramate or naltrexone for 12 weeks, and their neural responses to an anxiety-inducing task were measured using fMRI after 6 weeks of treatment.
- - The study found no major differences in brain activation between the two treatment groups, but it noted that changes in anxiety levels were linked to the brain's response to threat cues, providing insights into how these medications may work.
Current treatments for alcohol use disorders (AUD) have limited efficacy. Recently, Cannabidiol (CBD) has been examined in a multitude of clinical settings. Preclinical and clinical results suggest that CBD might be particularly well suited for the treatment of AUD and may reduce alcohol cue and stress-induced craving and alcohol seeking.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFN-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is a potential pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder (AUD), but it is not known whether it modulates neural activation to alcohol cues or intrinsic functional connectivity. We investigated whether NAC attenuates (i) alcohol cue-elicited activation, and (ii) intrinsic functional connectivity compared to placebo in patients with AUD. In this preliminary study, twenty-three individuals (7 females) with moderate-severe AUD received daily NAC (2400 mg/day, n = 9), or a placebo (n = 14) for at least 2 weeks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe underlying neurobiological mechanisms of cannabidiol's (CBD) management of alcohol use disorder (AUD) remains elusive.Aim We conducted a systematic review of neuroimaging literature investigating the effects of CBD on the brain in healthy participants. We then theorise the potential neurobiological mechanisms by which CBD may ameliorate various symptoms of AUD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBaclofen has been shown to reduce alcohol consumption in some individuals with alcohol use disorder. This preliminary study aimed to evaluate i) the effect of baclofen versus placebo on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical activity (HPA axis), as measured by cortisol, and ii) the relationship between clinical outcomes such as alcohol consumption on a randomized controlled trial of baclofen (BAC) versus placebo (PL) (Kirsten C. Morley et al.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction And Aims: There is emerging evidence that heavy long-term alcohol consumption may alter the neuroimmune profile. We conducted a meta-analysis of the association between alcohol use disorder (AUD) and the extent of neuroinflammation using cerebrospinal (CSF), PET (Positron Emission Tomography), and postmortem studies.
Design And Methods: A comprehensive search of electronic databases was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) for AUD-related terms in combination with neuroinflammatory markers and cytokine- and chemokine-related terms for CSF, PET, and postmortem studies.
Sex as a Potential Moderator for Baclofen Response in the Treatment of Alcohol Dependence.
Front Glob Womens Health
March 2022
Background And Aims: Recent studies indicate that sex may moderate the response to baclofen in the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD). We conducted a secondary analysis of a double-blind randomized controlled trial, Baclofen in the treatment of Alcohol Liver Disease (BacALD), to examine the moderating role of sex on treatment response to baclofen in reducing alcohol consumption.
Methods: Alcohol-dependent patients ( = 104 including 74 men and 30 women) were treated for 12 weeks with baclofen (30 mg/day or 75 mg) or placebo.
Background: We aimed to examine the predictive validity of the Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV) in predicting treatment completion, over and above educational status.
Methods: One hundred and ninety-six ( = 196) individuals from the Odyssey House Residential Rehabilitation Program, NSW, Australia between 2010 and 2016 were administered a structured interview including substance use disorders and the Verbal Comprehension (VCI), Perceptual Reasoning (PRI), Working Memory (WMI), and Processing Speed (PSI) domains of the WAIS-IV.
Results: There were significant differences between our clinical sample and the population norm with respect to the proportion below the mean for PSI (z = 12.
Article Synopsis
- * Recent progress includes the approval of nalmefene in Europe and Australia for controlled drinking, and baclofen in France, while off-label usage of medications like topiramate and gabapentin is gaining traction in countries like the USA.
- * Even with advancements in understanding AUD's neurobiology, new medications have been scarce over the past 20 years, prompting calls for better methods like drug repurposing and new research models to accelerate the development of effective treatments.