Pharmacotherapy of Addictive Disorders.Clinical Neuropharmacology. 32(5):277-289, September/October 2009.
Substance use disorders are highly prevalent in the United States and cause considerable damage to our society. They are underrecognized and undertreated despite a vast body of literature demonstrating the efficacy of treatment using both psychosocial and psychopharmacological modalities.
For the last decade, research and progress into the biological basis of the addictive process has led to a rapidly growing number of pharmacological agents used to interrupt the addictive process at its various stages such as the initiation of substance abuse, the transition from abuse to dependence, and the prevention of drug reinstatement or relapse.
Aversive agents, opiate antagonists, and glutamate-based interventions are currently approved to treat alcohol use disorders with future promise with GABAergic, serotonergic, and endocannabinoid system agents.
Request Reprint E-Mail: Stephen.Ross@med.nyu.edu
______________________________________________________________
