The therapeutic potential of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid for alcohol dependence: balancing the risks and benefits. A focus on clinical data.

There is an increasing interest in studying the role of GABAergic medications in the treatment of alcohol dependence. The GABAergic drug gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) has been investigated in Europe as a possible treatment for alcohol dependence. In some European Countries, GHB has been approved as a treatment for alcohol dependence. However, this drug has also shown addictive properties, therefore raising questions about its safety in treating alcohol-dependent subjects. More recent research is focusing on the possibility of identifying alcohol-dependent subtypes without risk of developing GHB abuse. Finally, GHB and naltrexone combined together represent a possible approach deserving future investigations.