Zimelidine-induced variations in alcohol intake by nondepressed heavy drinkers

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Abstract
The effect of zimelidine, a specific serotonin-reuptake inhibitor, on alcohol intake was tested in 13 healthy male, nondepressed heavy drinkers who were randomly allocated to receive zimelidine or placebo in a double-blind, crossover experiment. There were five 2-wk experimental periods (baseline, placebo 1 and 2 and zimelidine 1 and 2). Treatment was discontinued in 3 subjects due to a suspected adverse reaction and 3 other subjects dropped out. Thus, 13 subjects participated in at least 2 experimental drug periods and only 10 participated in all the periods. In the 13 subjects, zimelidine increased the days of abstinence and decreased the daily number of drinks consumed while in the 10 subjects only the number of days of abstinence increased. Subjects did not report aversive alcohol-sensitizing reactions. Spielberger [State-Trait Anxiety Inventory] scores and depression scale scores (Montgomery/Asberg and Hamilton) were low at the beginning and throughout the study. Apparently, zimelidine modifies alcohol intake by a different mechanism that previously tested drugs, possibly by modulating the central neural mechanism that controls drinking of alcohol.