Alcohol and Alcoholism Advance Access originally published online on March 13, 2008
Alcohol and Alcoholism 2008 43(3):341-346; doi:10.1093/alcalc/agn016
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Neurobiology and treatment in alcoholism—recent findings regarding lesch's typology of alcohol dependence
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Erlangen, Germany
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Erlangen, Schwabachanlage 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany. Tel: +49-9131-8533001; Fax: +49-9131-8534105; E-mail: thomas.hillemacher{at}uk-erlangen.de
Received 15 January 2008; in revised form 5 February 2008; in revised form 7 February 2008; accepted 7 February 2008
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Abstract |
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Subtyping in alcohol dependence has become an important issue as studies have proposed different neurobiological mechanisms in alcoholism in the recent years. Studies have shown that alcohol dependence reflects a wide range of different phenotypes, including psychological, social, and neurobiological factors. Different ways of subtyping have been proposed in the last decades, one of them being Lesch's typology of alcohol dependence. Recent investigations have shown that different subtypes of Lesch's typology are associated with specific neurobiological factors which may have important implications for clinical practice. This applies in particular for genetic and neuroendocrinological factors, differences in the regulation of NMDA receptor-mediated glutamatergic neurotransmission, and in response to acamprosate and naltrexone treatment.