Effect of aripiprazole on anxiety associated with ethanol physical dependence and on ethanol-induced place preference

In the present study,we investigated the effect of aripiprazole,a dopamine system stabilizer,on ethanol-induced psychological and physiological dependence and anxiety-like behavior. first we determined the effect of aripiprazole,a dopamine system stabilizer,on the development and expression of ethanol-induced place preference. both the development and expression of ethanol-induced place preference was significantly suppressed by treatment of aripiprazole. next,the withdrawal score gradually increased with increasing duration after the withdrawal from ethanol for 6 days in vehicle-treated mice and the maximal score was observed 10 h after the ethanol withdrawal. aripiprazole caused no changes in the withdrawal score as compared to vehicletreated mice. under these conditions we investigated the effect of aripiprazole on the anxiety-like behavior of ethanol physical dependent mice,which were animals subjected to ethanol vapor for 6 days. the significant decrease of time spent in the open arms and number of open arm entries characterize the anxiety-like behavior in ethanol physical dependent mice,compared to control mice. these decreases were reversed by treatment of aripiprazole,which were inhibited by way100635,a serotonin 5-ht 1a receptor antagonist. the present findings suggest that aripiprazole was efficient for reversing ethanol-induced place preference and anxiety-like behavior. © the japanese pharmacological society.