Alcohol-dependent patients were admitted to the Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, a locked inpatient treatment research facility with no access to alcohol or drugs and limited access to visitors. Urine and breathalyzer testing was also conducted regularly to ensure continued abstinence. All patients participated in specialized treatment for 1 month prior to the laboratory sessions that included weekly individual therapy provided by the psychiatry residents on the Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit and twice-weekly 12-step-based group alcohol and drug counseling20 provided by an addictions specialist. The group alcohol and drug treatment was part of the inpatient treatment program that was initiated on admission and included additional group programming from 9 am to 3:30 pm that covered daily life skills and other structured activities. The laboratory study for alcohol patients was conducted 1 month after admission to the inpatient unit to allow for normalization of neurobiological changes associated with alcohol withdrawal and to assess stress responses and craving in a controlled early recovery period.
