New drug to treat alcohol abuse

Targeting a specific receptor in the brain could reduce alcohol addiction, a condition that costs the Australian economy over $14 billion a year. One in six adults drink enough to place them at risk of developing an alcohol-related disease.

Researchers at Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health found that targeting the  muscarinic M4 receptor in the brain with a simple drug could decrease both heavy consumption and the risk of an addict relapsing.

The study, published in the journal Biological Psychiatry in 2020, was led by Professor Chris Langmead, Professor Andrew Lawrence and Dr Leigh Walker. They performed genome-wide RNA sequencing and protein expression studies in human tissue samples to identify potential therapeutic targets.

Professor Langmead said, “The findings from our study show a lot of promise in how we can work to treat alcohol addiction in the future.

Alcohol misuse is a huge burden not just for individuals, but for families, communities and the economy. By identifying a potential therapeutic target, we’re one step closer to developing a new pharmacotherapeutic option for alcohol-use disorder.