Bankole A Johnson, Norman Rosenthal, Julie A Capece, Frank Wiegand, Lian Mao, Karen Beyers, Amy McKay, Nassima Ait-Daoud, Giovanni Addolorato, Raymond F Anton, Domenic A Ciraulo, Henry R Kranzler, Karl Mann, Stephanie S O'Malley, Robert M Swift
BACKGROUND: Topiramate can improve drinking outcomes via a hypothesized mechanism of facilitating gamma-aminobutyric acid function and inhibiting glutaminergic pathways in the corticomesolimbic system. We sought to determine whether topiramate's antidrinking effects are bolstered by improvements in physical and psychosocial well-being. METHODS: In a 17-site, 14-week, double-blind, randomized controlled trial, we compared the effects of topiramate (up to 300 mg/d) vs placebo on physical health, obsessional thoughts and compulsions about using alcohol, and psychosocial well-being among 371 alcohol-dependent subjects who received weekly adherence enhancement therapy...
June 9, 2008: Archives of Internal Medicine