Effects of a GABA-ergic medication combination and initial alcohol withdrawal severity on cue-elicited brain activation among treatment-seeking alcoholics.

Rationale Many studies have reported medication effects on alcohol cue-elicited brain activation or associations between such activation and subsequent drinking. However, few have combined the methodological rigor of a randomized clinical trial (RCT) with follow-up assessments to determine whether cue-elicited activation predicts relapse during treatment, the crux of alcoholism.