Targeting neuroinflammation with minocycline in heavy drinkers

Rationale Alcohol has both acute and chronic effects on neuroimmune signaling, including triggering pro-inflammatory cytokine release by microglia. Minocycline, a second-generation tetracycline antibiotic, inhibits microglial activation and reduces neuroinflammation in preclinical studies. In mice, minocycline also reduces ethanol intake, attenuates ethanol-induced conditioned place preference, and inhibits ethanol-induced microglial activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine release.