A recent review (Lowery and Thiele 2010) provides a comprehensive overview of preclinical evidence from rodent studies that suggest a promising role for CRFR antagonists in the treatment of alcohol abuse disorders. CRFR antagonists protect against excessive EtOH intake resulting from EtOH dependence without influencing EtOH intake in non-dependent animals. Similarly, CRFR antagonists block excessive binge-like EtOH drinking in non-dependent mice but do not alter EtOH intake in mice drinking moderate amounts of EtOH (Lowery and Thiele 2010). CRFR antagonists also protect against increased EtOH intake and relapse-like behaviors precipitated by exposure to a stressful event. Additionally, CRFR antagonists attenuate the negative emotional responses associated with EtOH withdrawal. The protective effects of CRFR antagonists are modulated by CRF1R. Finally, recent evidence has emerged suggesting that CRF2R agonists may also be useful for treating alcohol abuse disorders for review see (Lowery and Thiele 2010).
