Grant: Catalyst Grant: Alcohol research to inform health policies and interventions

Alcohol use is a leading cause of death and disability in Canada. However, treatment of alcohol addiction, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), is challenging, with high rates of relapse to heavy drinking following treatment. At present, we do not know which individuals are most likely to benefit from existing treatment for AUD. This study proposes using a framework known as the Addictions Neuroclinical Assessment (ANA) to determine whether it can be used to better understand who responds to a standardized intervention for AUD. ANA consists of measures that assess three neurobiological domains that are thought to affect substance use: executive function, negative emotionality, and incentive salience. In this study, we will recruit 64 individuals with AUD and assess each of these domains prior to treatment. Following assessment, each participant will undergo a 12-week treatment program in which they receive weekly manualized group psychotherapy in addition to anticraving medication (prescribed using a standardized algorithm). We will collect preliminary data on whether differences in each domain predict treatment outcomes over the 12-week program. Results from this project will help healthcare decision makers and clinicians determine which patients are likely to benefit most from existing treatments and stimulate the development of new targeted treatments for those who do not respond to current evidence-based care.