The effect of olanzapine on craving and alcohol consumption.

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Hutchison KE, Ray L, Sandman E, Rutter MC, Peters A, Davidson D, Swift R

The effect of olanzapine on craving and alcohol consumption.

Neuropsychopharmacology. 2006 Jun;31(6):1310-7.

PubMed ID

16237394 [ View in PubMed

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Abstract

Previous studies have indicated that olanzapine decreases craving after a priming dose of alcohol, that craving after a priming dose of alcohol is greater among individuals with the seven-repeat allele of the DRD4 variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism, and that the effect of olanzapine (a D2/D4 antagonist) is more pronounced among individuals with this allele. The present study tested the hypothesis that olanzapine may be differentially effective at reducing cue-elicited craving and differentially effective as a treatment for alcohol dependence over the course of a 12-week, randomized, placebo-controlled trial among individuals with and without the seven-repeat allele. Participants who met DSM IV criteria for alcohol dependence were randomly assigned to receive olanzapine (5 mg) or a placebo over the course of the trial. After 2 weeks of treatment, participants completed a cue reactivity assessment. The results suggested that participants who were homozygous or heterozygous for the seven (or longer)-repeat allele of the DRD4 VNTR responded to olanzapine with reductions in cue-elicited craving as well as reductions in alcohol consumption over the course of the 12-week trial, whereas individuals with the shorter alleles did not respond favorably to olanzapine.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Targets

Drug	Target	Kind	Organism	Pharmacological Action	Actions
Olanzapine	Dopamine D4 receptor	Protein	Humans	Unknown	Antagonist	Details