Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a prevalent condition characterised by an inability to control alcohol consumption despite adverse consequences. Emerging research indicates that psychedelics may offer promising therapeutic avenues for treating AUD, with various compounds showing potential in clinical trials.
Key Insights
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Psychedelics like psilocybin and ketamine have shown efficacy in reducing heavy drinking and relapse rates in AUD patients.
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Historical evidence from the 1950s indicates that compounds such as LSD were initially explored for alcoholism treatment, suggesting a long-standing interest in psychedelics for addiction.
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Current trials indicate significant reductions in alcohol consumption following psychedelic treatments, with studies demonstrating sustained abstinence and changes in addictive behaviours.
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Ayahuasca and other natural psychedelics have been associated with reduced alcohol consumption among Indigenous populations, highlighting their potential therapeutic roles.
What is Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)?
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a medical condition that manifests as an impaired ability to control alcohol use, despite experiencing negative social, occupational, or health outcomes. Common terms associated with AUD include alcohol abuse, dependence, addiction, and alcoholism.
Symptoms of AUD range from mild to severe and may include intense cravings, continued drinking despite recognisable issues, and an inability to reduce consumption levels irrespective of the desire to do so.
Multiple factors contribute to the development of AUD, encompassing both internal (e.g., genetics, underlying mental health disorders) and external (e.g., social and cultural influences) variables. The disorder is associated with an increased vulnerability to various health conditions, including liver and cardiovascular diseases.
Comorbidities are common, with individuals diagnosed with AUD being nearly four times more likely to struggle with major depressive disorder and experiencing heightened anxiety.
Current Treatments
Treatment for AUD typically includes a combination of medically supervised detoxification, pharmacotherapy (with FDA-approved medications such as disulfiram, acamprosate, and naltrexone), and psychotherapeutic modalities, including cognitive behavioural therapy and support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous.
Psychedelic Effect Matrix
Compound efficacy and evidence levels for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).
| Compound | Magnitude | Evidence | Consistency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybin Clinical trials have consistently demonstrated significant reductions in heavy drinking days with psilocybin treatment. | Large | Moderate | Consistent |
| Ketamine Research indicates ketamine's efficacy in delaying relapse and promoting abstinence when paired with therapy. | Medium | Moderate | Consistent |
| MDMA Initial studies indicate potential benefits; however, further placebo-controlled trials are required. | Medium | Low | Inconsistent |
| Ayahuasca Reported anecdotal reports and survey studies suggest benefits, yet rigorous trials are lacking. | Small | Low | Inconsistent |
Ketamine and Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
Ketamine acts primarily as an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist and has shown potential for treating AUD through its rapid antidepressant effects, which may reduce cravings. Clinical trials report decreased alcohol consumption and prolonged abstinence when ketamine treatments are integrated with therapy. Additionally, subjective experiences during treatment can create a sense of detachment, contributing to a reevaluation of one's relationship with alcohol.
MDMA and Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
MDMA may enhance emotional processing and facilitate therapeutic interactions, which can be particularly beneficial in addressing the underlying psychological issues associated with AUD. Clinical trials show that MDMA-assisted therapy can lead to significant reductions in alcohol consumption and AUD symptoms, suggesting it could be a viable adjunct to conventional treatment modalities.
Ayahuasca and Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
Ayahuasca has been reported to support healing and self-reflection, with anecdotal evidence and qualitative studies suggesting substantial improvements in drinking behaviours. Participants in ayahuasca ceremonies often report enhanced emotional awareness, which may assist in understanding and overcoming addiction patterns.
Clinical Outlook
The future of psychedelic treatment for AUD appears promising, as ongoing and forthcoming clinical trials aim to further elucidate the mechanisms of action and optimise treatment protocols. As evidence mounts, it is anticipated that psychedelics will complement existing treatments, potentially leading to more effective, holistic approaches in managing AUD.
Industrial Landscape
Key players in the psychedelic research domain include Awakn Life Sciences, which operates ketamine-assisted therapy clinics, and Clearmind Medicine, which focuses on developing compounds for AUD. Other notable entities include Psilera Biosciences and Journey Colab, both engaged in innovative psychedelic research.
Quick Indicators
Related Topics
Organisations
Search →Clerkenwell Health
UK-based specialist CNS and psychiatry-focused clinical research organization combining select CRO services, dedicated trial sites, participant recruitment, and psychedelic therapist training for complex mental-health studies.
Exeter University
The University of Exeter is a public research university based in Exeter, Devon, England, with additional campuses in Cornwall. It provides undergraduate and postgraduate education and conducts research across a wide range of disciplines.
AtaiBeckley
Clinical-stage psychedelic company that also functions as a strategic-corporate capital allocator through legacy atai platform investments and deal activity in the sector.
University of Amsterdam
The University of Amsterdam (UvA) is one of the Netherlands' leading research universities, with its Amsterdam UMC Department of Psychiatry conducting clinical trials on psilocybin and psychedelic-assisted therapies for treatment-resistant mental health conditions.
Ketamine Research Institute
The Ketamine Research Institute is a US-based clinical research organization developing precision medicine approaches to ketamine infusion therapy, studying optimized dosing protocols to treat depression and offering clinician training in evidence-based ketamine practice.
University of Sydney
The Brain and Mind Centre is advancing psychedelic science with a multidisciplinary focus on developing innovative treatments using AI and preparing for human clinical trials to treat severe mental illness.
University of Zurich
Within the 'Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics' at the University of Zurich, Dr Milan Scheidegger is leading a team conducting psychedelic research and therapy development. Researchers here are investigating the therapeutic potential of psychedelics to reverse maladaptive neurobehavioral patterns in stress-related mood disorders and to enhance psychotherapeutic learning capabilities.
Geneva University Hospital
One of Europe's foremost centres for psychedelic-assisted therapy, operating within Switzerland's compassionate use framework. Under Professor Daniele Zullino, HUG treats depression and PTSD with psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA, and hosts one of five university-affiliated psychedelic research laboratories in Switzerland.
Usona Institute
Usona Institute is a US-based 501(c)(3) non-profit medical research organisation (MRO) headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. Co-founded in 2014 by Bill Linton (CEO of Promega Corporation) and Malynn Utzinger, M.D., Usona was established after Linton witnessed the profound impact of a Johns Hopkins psilocybin study on a terminally ill friend. Unlike commercial drug developers, Usona operates as a mission-driven MRO — conducting and supporting pre-clinical and clinical research on psilocybin and other consciousness-expanding medicines, with the goal of developing accessible, affordable treatments. Its research leadership includes Dr. Charles Raison (Director of Clinical and Translational Research, UW-Madison psychiatrist) and Dr. Alexander Sherwood (medicinal chemist). Usona's psilocybin programme received FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for major depressive disorder in 2019. After completing the Phase 2 PSIL201 study (the largest Phase 2 randomised controlled trial of psilocybin for MDD at the time), the Institute launched the Phase 3 uAspire trial in 2024 — a 240-participant, randomised, double-blind, multicentre study comparing 25 mg psilocybin vs placebo in adults with MDD. Usona is also exploring 5-MeO-DMT in early-stage research.
Monash University
The Clinical Psychedelic Lab, led by Dr. Paul Liknaitzky, conducts robust clinical trials exploring the efficacy and safety of psychedelic-assisted therapies for various mental health conditions within the Australian healthcare context.
Johns Hopkins University
The Centre for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research focuses on how psychedelics affect behavior, cognition, brain function, and biological health markers. They have been at the forefront of demonstrating the safety and efficacy of psychedelics for mental disorders, expanding their focus into psilocybin research across multiple mental health conditions, including smoking cessation, major depressive disorder, and cancer-related anxiety.
Yale University
In 2016, the 'Yale Psychedelic Science Group' was established as a forum where clinicians and scholars from across Yale can learn about and discuss the rapidly re-emerging field of psychedelic science and therapeutics in an academically rigorous manner. Research with psychedelics is also underway at Yale School of Medicine. A recent study at the university found that a single dose of psilocybin can cause structural changes in the brain that counteract symptoms of depression.
People
Search →Hartej Gill
Researcher in mood disorders psychopharmacology at the University of Toronto / University Health Network
Notable for coauthoring multiple reviews and meta-analyses on ketamine, esketamine, suicidality, cognition, and psychedelic drug trials in psychiatric research.
Juliana Rocha
Doutoranda em Ciências Médicas / Saúde Mental at the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo
She is a recurring coauthor on clinical psychedelic studies, especially ayahuasca trials on social anxiety, emotion recognition, personality, and social cognition, helping expand the human evidence base for psychedelic-assisted psychiatric research.
Mathieu Seynaeve
Senior Medical Director and Head of Psychotherapy at Beckley Psytech
He is a clinical development leader behind multiple human studies of 5-MeO-DMT and psilocybin, including trials in alcohol use disorder, treatment-resistant depression, and headache disorders.
Kayla Teopiz
Researcher in psychiatry and ketamine/psychedelic medicine research; likely affiliated with the University of Toronto/Trillium Health Partners research network
Teopiz coauthors multiple systematic reviews and clinical studies on ketamine, esketamine, and psilocybin in depression and suicidality, helping synthesize the evidence base for psychedelic and glutamatergic treatments in psychiatry.
Kruti Joshi
Employee at Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
Joshi appears to be a Janssen-affiliated researcher coauthoring multiple real-world evidence studies on esketamine access, barriers, utilization, and economic outcomes in treatment-resistant depression.
Marta Torrens
Professor of Psychiatry and former Director of the Addictions Department at Hospital del Mar; Group Leader in Addictions at Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM)
She is a leading Spanish addiction psychiatrist whose human pharmacology and clinical research on substances like MDMA, mephedrone, methylone, 2C-B, and LSD has informed psychedelic and novel psychoactive substance science.
Anna Ermakova
Research Scientist at Beckley Psytech and psychedelic research contributor
She is an author on multiple influential 5-MeO-DMT clinical and review papers, helping build the evidence base for psychedelic therapies in depression and alcohol use disorder.
Edward Nunes
Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center
A leading addiction psychiatrist whose clinical trials helped establish ketamine as a promising intervention for cocaine and alcohol use disorders.
Carl Hart
Mamie Phipps Clark Professor of Psychology (in Psychiatry) at Columbia University
He is a leading researcher on human psychopharmacology and substance use disorders, including ketamine and other psychoactive drugs, with influential work on drug self-administration and treatment models.
Ruben Laukkonen
Director of the Flourishing Intelligence Program at the University of Oxford; Senior Researcher in Oxford’s Psychiatry Department
He is a cognitive scientist whose work connects insight, meditation, and psychedelic states, and he co-authored several influential papers on insight and psychedelics.
Lindsey Owens
Research coordinator and doctoral trainee in medical/clinical psychology; psychedelic-assisted therapy researcher
She is notable for coauthoring and supporting several key psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy studies on alcohol use disorder, including clinical, qualitative, and case-report papers.
Michael Mithoefer
Senior Medical Director for Medical Affairs at MAPS PBC
Conducted the first FDA-approved clinical trial of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD.
Connected Evidence
The latest clinical data and verified academic findings associated with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD).