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The Corticotropin Releasing Factor Receptor 1 in Alcohol Use Disorder: Still a Valid Drug Target?
Author(s) -
Pomrenze Matthew B.,
Fetterly Tracy L.,
Winder Danny G.,
Messing Robert O.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/acer.13507
Subject(s) - disappointment , craving , alcohol use disorder , alcohol , drug , receptor , binge drinking , alcohol consumption , psychology , clinical psychology , neuroscience , medicine , psychiatry , addiction , psychotherapist , biology , biochemistry
Corticotropin releasing factor ( CRF ) is a neuropeptide that plays a key role in behavioral and physiological responses to stress. A large body of animal literature implicates CRF acting at type 1 CRF receptors ( CRFR 1) in consumption by alcohol‐dependent subjects, stress‐induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking, and possibly binge alcohol consumption. These studies have encouraged recent pilot studies of CRFR 1 antagonists in humans with alcohol use disorder ( AUD ). It was a great disappointment to many in the field that these studies failed to show an effect of these compounds on stress‐induced alcohol craving. Here, we examine these studies to explore potential limitations and discuss preclinical and human literature to ask whether CRFR 1 is still a valid drug target to pursue for the treatment of AUD.