Oxytocin Treatment of Alcohol Dependence
Alcoholism is a condition that requires expert treatment. According to estimates, around 16 million Americans have an alcohol consumption issue. With such a startling number, experts are discovering and trying new techniques of alcoholism therapy.
The current study on the relationship between alcohol and oxytocin is still in the animal testing phase. Before we go any further, let’s review what we know about alcohol misuse and the available therapies.
What Are the Most Recent Alcoholism Treatment Drugs?
Years of study have enabled medical practitioners to provide several alcoholism treatment medicines to patients who overuse alcohol. Experts are still discovering new drugs. They also look into strategies to reduce the cost, efficacy, and accessibility of therapy for persons suffering from an alcohol use problem.
According to Professor Barbara Mason of the Pearson Center for Alcoholism & Addiction Research, medications play an essential role in the treatment of alcoholism. Individuals who took prescription drugs performed far better than those who did not.
Following the list from a renowned center for addiction recovery in Clarksville, the following are the alcoholism treatment medicines that are administered to alcoholics:
1. Campral (Acamprosate)
Campral is a recently authorized alcoholism therapy in the United States. It normalizes the alterations in the brain that occur when individuals stop drinking. Campral also alleviates post-acute withdrawal syndrome’s mental and physical suffering.
2. Antabuse (Disulfiram)
It is the first FDA-approved therapy for alcoholism and abuse. When someone who has taken Antabuse consumes alcohol, they have a strong unpleasant response. In most circumstances, the person will vomit after consuming alcohol. They believe this response will deter people from drinking another glass of alcohol.
3. Naltrexone
Naltrexone is also known by the brand names Depade or Revia. Vivitrol is a different brand of injectable Naltrexone. This alcoholism treatment medicine suppresses people’s ” high ” when they take alcohol, cocaine, or heroin.
What Should You Know About Alcohol and Oxytocin?
In 2019, the Scripps Research Institute and the National Institutes of Health led the research. They investigated if oxytocin doses may reduce alcohol intake in rats with alcoholism. Will this function as a therapy for human alcoholism?
What Exactly Is Oxytocin?
It is a hormone that is produced in the hypothalamus, which is then distributed throughout the body by the pituitary gland. Human connections, childbirth, breastfeeding, and uterine contractions benefit from oxytocin. It is a chemical messenger in the brain that is popularly referred to as the “love hormone.”
According to a Science Daily article, oxytocin reduces drug-seeking behavior, withdrawal symptoms, and use. The hormone aids in regulating the human brain’s reward and stress systems, and has the potential to aid alcoholics in their recovery.
Because research is currently limited, the objective is to understand better the relationship between alcohol and oxytocin and whether it is a potential therapeutic option for persons suffering from an alcohol use problem.
Oxytocin has been linked to emotional and social development issues. Mutations in the oxytocin receptor genes have been shown to be associated with empathy and trust, maternal behavior, and stress reduction. It significantly impacts science and is now being explored to cure alcoholism in adults. Oxytocin has been proven to affect the amygdala, a part of the brain responsible for fear and alertness.
The Effects of Alcohol on the Hypothalamus and Amygdala
Alcohol affects the hypothalamus and amygdala over time, resulting in emotional liability and blackouts. Both brain regions are in charge of fear, arousal, and dynamic control, and when these areas are suppressed by alcohol, the individual begins to behave only on animal instincts.
How Would Oxytocin Work as a Treatment for Alcoholism?
The NIH and Scripps Research Institute researchers hypothesized that oxytocin might restore the alterations that occur in the brain of an alcoholic. It is hoped that it would minimize alcohol-related behaviors.
The answer to the question, “Are low levels of oxytocin associated with alcoholism?” is still being researched. According to existing studies, alcohol-dependent rats were deterred from excessive drinking with oxytocin. According to the researchers, oxytocin suppressed impulses from the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid.
This stopped the drug from reaching the brain areas responsible for intoxication. With the findings in the rat study, researchers are moving toward the theory that an oxytocin system breakdown is linked to alcoholism.
What Happens to the Body When You’re Drunk?
Understanding the effects of alcohol on the human body can help you better comprehend the 2019 study. Keep in mind that alcohol has sedative and depressive properties. Inebriated individuals have the following experiences:
- Impaired decision-making
- Reduced inhibitions
- Physical coordination issues
- Brain function and slow neural activity
The Dangers of Oxytocin Withdrawal
Oxytocin is now FDA-approved for usage in pregnant women only during labor and delivery. Because it is not a restricted substance, there is no risk of misuse, addiction, dependence, or withdrawal.
The adverse effects of oxytocin are typically proportional to the dosage administered; the more significant the dose, the greater the risk of side effects. These are some examples:
- Vomiting and nausea
- Reduced heart rate.
- Women’s uterine contractions
Key Takeaway
There is hope on the horizon. Oxytocin has been shown to reduce consumption, withdrawal, and drug-seeking behavior linked with various substances of abuse, including alcohol, and we are now one step closer to knowing why.
According to the 2019 study, oxytocin can reduce alcohol cravings and intake overall. Because oxytocin is already a naturally occurring hormone in the human body, oxytocin hormone therapy shows potential for future treatment applications in patients suffering from alcoholism.
