Clinical Application of Findings from Animal Research on Alcohol Self-Administration and Dependence

Preceding chapters have reviewed progress made in the understanding of the basic mechanisms of action of alcohol and preclinical evidence suggesting the involvement of a number of neurotransmitter and neuropeptide systems in the modulation of ethanol1 self-administration, dependence, and tolerance. The aim of this chapter is to integrate some of these experimental findings with the clinical manifestations of alcohol abuse and dependence and to discuss their application to the development of pharmacotherapies for treatment of these disorders. It is impossible to review all the important research developments of the past several years, and we will therefore focus on those areas with direct and current relevance to the management of alcoholism. In particular, self-administration studies and their pharmacologic manipulation will be emphasized.