ArticleNeuropharmacology2024
Catechol-O-Methyltransferase inhibition and alcohol use disorder: Evaluating the efficacy of tolcapone in ethanol-dependent rats.
Article in Neuropharmacology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.
- Ivermectin reduces withdrawal-induced alcohol intake in rats: Association with CeA GABAergic enhancement and P2rx4 genetic liability.Neuropharmacology · 2026Article
- High incidence of estrous cycle irregularities in heterogeneous stock (HS) rats is associated with footshock-resistant cocaine intake.Psychopharmacology · 2026Article
- Cannabidiol mitigates alcohol dependence and withdrawal with neuroprotective effects in the basolateral amygdala and striatum.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026Article
- Ivermectin Reduces Withdrawal-Induced Alcohol Intake via CeA GABAergic Enhancement.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025Article
- A Preclinical Alcohol Biobank: Samples from Behaviorally Characterized HS Rats for AUD Research.eNeuro · 2025Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a significant public health issue in the United States. It affects millions of individuals and their families and contributes to substantial societal and economic burdens. Despite the availability of some pharmacological treatments, there is still a pressing need to develop more effective therapeutic strategies to address the diverse range of symptoms and challenges associated with AUD. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibition recently emerged as a promising new approach to treating AUD due to its potential to improve cognitive effects commonly associated with AUD. Tolcapone, an FDA-approved COMT inhibitor, has shown some promise for treating AUD; however, its ability to decrease drinking in ethanol-dependent rats has not been well-established. In this study, we evaluated the effects of tolcapone on operant, oral ethanol self-administration in non-dependent and dependent rats, and in rats that self-administered oral saccharin. To induce dependence, rats underwent the chronic intermittent exposure to vapor model, and their drinking levels were assessed during acute withdrawal from ethanol. Our results demonstrated that tolcapone attenuated responding for ethanol in dependent rats only, without affecting self-administration in non-dependent rats or rats self-administering saccharin. Moreover, we found that tolcapone was differentially effective in different estrous phases in female rats. These findings suggest that COMT inhibition, specifically using tolcapone, may be a valuable pharmacotherapy for treating AUD, particularly in individuals who are physically dependent on alcohol. Further research is needed to elucidate the precise mechanisms underlying the observed effects and to assess the potential of COMT inhibitors in a broader population of individuals with AUD.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.