Acamprosate to Reduce Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal

Objective: Clinical as well as preclinical studies indicate that the process of developing alcohol dependence recruits a progressively aggravated hyperglutamatergic state, which in turn is a key signal for emotional dysregulations leading to craving and relapse, as well as neurotoxicity leading to cognitive impairment and loss of grey matter in alcoholic patients. Acamprosate has recently been approved for relapse prevention in sober alcoholics, an effect mediated through largely unknown mechanisms. Preclinical data indicate, however, that it might primarily be useful for targeting the hyperglutamatergic state that develops during recurring withdrawal episodes, halting the process described above. If so, acamprosate might be of value as a withdrawal treatment to prevent the progression of alcohol dependence. The aim of the present protocol is to evaluate, in a randomized controlled trial, the effects of acamprosate during withdrawal and the early post-withdrawal phase. The primary outcome variable will be central glutamate/glutamine concentration as determined by MR spectroscopy. A number of exploratory biological and clinical measures will in addition be obtained and used for secondary analyses as specified below. Study Population: We will study patients age 21 - 65, without gross impairment of judgment or complicated psychiatric or other morbidity, going into withdrawal or with a high probability of doing so, will be admitted as inpatients to the NIAAA CC-unit. A group of healthy volunteers who do not receive study medication will be examined separately in order to confirm that a hyperglutamatergic state is present in the patients during withdrawal. Design: All patients will receive standard care for alcohol detoxification. In addition, half of them will be randomized in a blinded fashion to oral acamprosate, two 333 mg tablets taken 3 times daily or corresponding placebo. Validated rating scales (CIWA-Ar, CPRS-SA) will be used to assess intensity of withdrawal and psychopathology. If severity of withdrawal exceeds a predefined criterion, standard diazepam treatment will be added to study medication. The accrual target is based on a primary analysis sample of patients who will not require diazepam medication, which is a potential confound. A secondary analysis will be carried out on the complete sample, analyzing the requirement for/amount of diazepam supplement as a secondary outcome variable. Outcome Measures: A battery of tests will be obtained during the 1st and 3rd week of inpatient treatment. These will include NMR-spectroscopy to quantify central levels of excitatory and inhibitory amino acids (primary outcome variable: GluX concentration); lumbar puncture to obtain CSF for analysis of neurotransmitter/neurohormone metabolites and synaptic proteins. Repeated 4 x daily blood collection for analysis of serum cortisol and ACTH will be obtained to assess spontaneous activity and circadian variation of the HPA-axis, and the combined dexamethasone - CRH test will be carried out to dynamically probe this system, and gauge its sensitivity for feedback inhibition.