Drug Shows Promise For Alcoholism

A drug called topiramate shows promise as a potential new treatment for alcoholism, according to a study in the August issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. This early-stage study of 150 people with alcohol dependence found that topiramate can reduce self-reported drinking and may reduce self-reported craving for alcohol. "Few medications to treat alcoholism exist," study author Bankole A. Johnson, the Wurzbach Distinguished Professor in the departments of psychiatry and pharmacology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, said in a prepared statement.