TY - JOUR
T1 - Glutamatergic medications for the treatment of drug and behavioral addictions
AU - Olive, Michael
AU - Cleva, Richard M.
AU - Kalivas, Peter W.
AU - Malcolm, Robert J.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Katie Ris-Vicari for assistance with the generation of the artwork. This work was supported by NIH grants DA024355 , DA025606 , and AA013852 (MFO).
PY - 2012/2
Y1 - 2012/2
N2 - Historically, most pharmacological approaches to the treatment of addictive disorders have utilized either substitution-based methods (i.e., nicotine replacement or opioid maintenance) or have targeted monoaminergic or endogenous opioidergic neurotransmitter systems. However, substantial evidence has accumulated indicating that ligands acting on glutamatergic transmission are also of potential utility in the treatment of drug addiction, as well as various behavioral addictions such as pathological gambling. The purpose of this review is to summarize the pharmacological mechanisms of action and general clinical efficacy of glutamatergic medications that are currently approved or are being investigated for approval for the treatment of addictive disorders. Medications with effects on glutamatergic transmission that will be discussed include acamprosate, N-acetylcysteine, d-cycloserine, gabapentin, lamotrigine, memantine, modafinil, and topiramate. We conclude that manipulation of glutamatergic neurotransmission is a relatively young but promising avenue for the development of improved therapeutic agents for the treatment of drug and behavioral addictions.
AB - Historically, most pharmacological approaches to the treatment of addictive disorders have utilized either substitution-based methods (i.e., nicotine replacement or opioid maintenance) or have targeted monoaminergic or endogenous opioidergic neurotransmitter systems. However, substantial evidence has accumulated indicating that ligands acting on glutamatergic transmission are also of potential utility in the treatment of drug addiction, as well as various behavioral addictions such as pathological gambling. The purpose of this review is to summarize the pharmacological mechanisms of action and general clinical efficacy of glutamatergic medications that are currently approved or are being investigated for approval for the treatment of addictive disorders. Medications with effects on glutamatergic transmission that will be discussed include acamprosate, N-acetylcysteine, d-cycloserine, gabapentin, lamotrigine, memantine, modafinil, and topiramate. We conclude that manipulation of glutamatergic neurotransmission is a relatively young but promising avenue for the development of improved therapeutic agents for the treatment of drug and behavioral addictions.
KW - Behavioral addiction
KW - Drug addiction
KW - Glutamate
KW - Pathological gambling
KW - Pharmacological therapy
KW - Substance abuse
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U2 - 10.1016/j.pbb.2011.04.015
DO - 10.1016/j.pbb.2011.04.015
M3 - Review article
C2 - 21536062
AN - SCOPUS:84855534956
SN - 0091-3057
VL - 100
SP - 801
EP - 810
JO - Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior
JF - Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior
IS - 4
ER -