Epigenetic drugs and psychedelics as emerging therapies for alcohol use disorder: insights from preclinical studies
Résumé
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a public health issue that afects millions of people worldwide leading to physical, mental and
socio-economic consequences. While current treatments for AUD have provided relief to individuals, their efectiveness on
the long term is often limited, leaving a number of afected individuals without sustainable solutions. In this review, we aim to
explore two emerging approaches for AUD: psychedelics and epigenetic drugs (i.e., epidrugs). By examining preclinical studies,
diferent animal species and procedures, we delve into the potential benefts of each of these treatments in terms of addictive
behaviors (alcohol drinking and seeking, motivation to drink alcohol and prevention of relapse). Because psychedelics and
epidrugs may share common and complementary mechanisms of action, there is an exciting opportunity for exploring synergies
between these approaches and their parallel efectiveness in treating AUD and the diverse associated psychiatric conditions.