1. ¹Department of Psychology, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
2. ²Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University—Purdue University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
3. ³Providence Veteran Affairs Medical Center and Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

Correspondence: Dr KE Hutchison, Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Muenzinger Psychology Building D-244, Campus Box 345, Boulder, CO 80309-0345, USA. Tel: +1 303 492 3298; Fax: +1 303 492 2967; E-mail: kenth@psych.colorado.edu

Received 14 February 2005; Revised 2 August 2005; Accepted 15 August 2005; Published online 12 October 2005.

Abstract

Previous studies have indicated that olanzapine decreases craving after a priming dose of alcohol, that craving after a priming dose of alcohol is greater among individuals with the seven-repeat allele of the DRD4 variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism, and that the effect of olanzapine (a D2/D4 antagonist) is more pronounced among individuals with this allele. The present study tested the hypothesis that olanzapine may be differentially effective at reducing cue-elicited craving and differentially effective as a treatment for alcohol dependence over the course of a 12-week, randomized, placebo-controlled trial among individuals with and without the seven-repeat allele. Participants who met DSM IV criteria for alcohol dependence were randomly assigned to receive olanzapine (5 mg) or a placebo over the course of the trial. After 2 weeks of treatment, participants completed a cue reactivity assessment. The results suggested that participants who were homozygous or heterozygous for the seven (or longer)-repeat allele of the DRD4 VNTR responded to olanzapine with reductions in cue-elicited craving as well as reductions in alcohol consumption over the course of the 12-week trial, whereas individuals with the shorter alleles did not respond favorably to olanzapine.