You can receive independent, expert advice on alcohol rehabilitation and rehab centres by telephoning DryOutNow.com on 0845 370 0203

The most important consideration in choosing a rehab centre is to match the individual to the rehab centre that is most likely to lead to a successful outcome.

DryOutNow.com can provide an assessment of all your needs and a recommendation regarding the most effective rehab placement for you, given your particular circumstances. We can provide fast, immediate access to alcohol treatment.

Exposure-based addiction therapies could be extremely effective

Strong cravings for alcohol can be sparked by the mere sight, smell and taste of a person's favourite drink. Responses to cues that are associated with the positive effects of drinking are a lead cause of relapse in abstinent alcoholics. These findings suggest that exposure-based addiction therapies could be extremely effective.

Using a behavioural animal model, researchers of a new study, scheduled for publication in the August 1st issue of Biological Psychiatry, have found that the physical surroundings where alcohol cues are experienced can greatly influence the ability of those cues to trigger relapse.

Specifically, Chaudhri and colleagues taught rats to learn that a brief tone signalled when a small amount of alcohol would be available in a fluid receptacle for them to drink. This learning occurred in a distinctive environment consisting of a particular appearance, smell, and lighting. They were then put into a second, unique context with a different appearance, smell, and lighting, and were repeatedly exposed to the tone but never given alcohol. After several sessions in this new context, the rats gradually learned that the tone no longer predicted alcohol and consequently stopped checking the fluid receptacle. However, upon re-exposure to the original context where alcohol was available, presentation of the tone once again caused the rats to immediately check for it. "This finding demonstrates the power of environments to trigger relapse to alcohol-seeking in response to alcohol-predictive cues, " said lead author Nadia Chaudhri, Ph. D., with the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at UCSF. "This effect is highly detrimental to humans who are trying to abstain from drinking."

Additionally, the authors also found that the capacity of an alcohol-associated context to trigger relapse to alcohol cues can be greatly diminished by presenting the cues repeatedly in multiple distinct contexts without alcohol. If used in the clinic, this technique of extinguishing responses to alcohol cues in multiple contexts could greatly increase the efficacy of current behavioural treatments for alcoholism. John H. Krystal, M.D., Editor of Biological Psychiatry further elaborates on this idea, commenting that "it is possible that exposure-based therapies could occur in a broader range of contexts so as to enhance their effectiveness. These contexts could be real, i.e., visiting bars or liquor stores, could be created using virtual reality techniques, or could simply be recreated by patients as they imagined visiting places that triggered their urges to drink." Additional research will clearly need to be undertaken to determine the effectiveness of such a technique, but these findings indicate that it may be a promising addition to addiction therapies.

Journal reference

Nadia Chaudhri et al, ‘Context-Induced Relapse of Conditioned Behavioral Responding to Ethanol Cues in Rats', Biological Psychiatry, 2008 64 (3) 203-210

Article published on 27/07/2008 by DryOutNow.com

DryOutNow.com provides highly practical help for people with alcohol problems, their friends and relatives. DryOutNow.com also provides free resources for healthcare professionals such as medical information and alcohol treatment guidelines.

• Potential new drug for cocaine addiction and overdose - Journal of the American Chemical Society ...... read
• Are you a binge drinker? BMA Scotland calls for compulsory labelling of alcoholic drinks ...... read
• Top researchers to explore stress and anxiety, trauma, poverty and addiction seminar ...... read
• Avigen initiates opioid withdrawal trial ...... read
• Treatment alternative for drug offenders has had some success ...... read
• Les Ferdinand kicks off project to help those with drug and alcohol problems ...... read
• Ability to quit smoking may depend on ADHD symptoms, researchers find ...... read
• Positive environment can help drug addiction ...... read
• Hope for treating relapse to methamphetamine abuse ...... read
• Blocking a neuropeptide receptor decreases nicotine addiction ...... read
• New nationwide report reveals that 5 Million people participate in self-help groups each year ...... read
• New charity partnership looks to support service users with complex needs ...... read
• Effects of cocaine use on mother-infant relationships studied by UNC, Yale partnership ...... read
• Extended treatment with combination medication for opioid-addicted youths shows benefit ...... read
• Families, friends, schools and neighbourhoods contribute to adolescent alcohol misuse ...... read
• Hazardous drinking among New Zealand University students has its roots in high school ...... read
• Individualists More Likely To Be Problem Drinkers ...... read
• Drug has potential to prevent alcoholics from relapsing ...... read
• BMA Scotland response to the Scottish Governments proposed strategy to tackle alcohol misuse ...... read
• Think before you drink - alcohol awareness campaign launched ...... read