A recent study on mice and rats at Sahlgrenska Academy has found that diabetes medication can be used to treat alcohol dependence.
Dopamine, a hormone, is released by the brain when alcohol intake takes place; this increase in dopamine causes a sense of euphoria in the consumer.
The GLP-1-like substance prevents the ability of alcohol to affect the release of dopamine in reward areas in the mice, suggesting that they no longer experience a reward from alcohol.
This causes a reduced motivation to consume alcohol, hence reducing the intake. The medication also prevents relapse drinking.
Interfering with the GLP-1 hormone to target alcohol dependency is an entirely novel concept brought up in this study by The University of Gothenburg.
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