Source: Circulation  |  Posted 9 years ago

The 5-HT3 blocker ondansetron significantly reduces overall craving for alcohol in early-onset alcoholics but not in late-onset alcoholics. This is most likely due to improvement in serotonergic abnormality, which early onset alcoholics have to a greater extent.

Psychiatrists at the University of Texas, San Antonio, Texas, United States, report that since it was already shown that ondansetron effectively treated early onset alcoholics, they would investigate whether it would significantly reduce their cravings. They also tested whether craving significantly correlated with drinking behaviour.

Two hundred and fifty three alcohol-dependent volunteers were studied during a one-week lead-in single-blind placebo period followed by 11 weeks of double-blind out-patient treatment. Ondansetron doses were 1.0, 4.0 or 16.0