Researchers at the University of Kentucky are exploring an unusual new idea that could eventually change how alcohol withdrawal is treated.
A drug first designed to fight brain inflammation linked to dementia may also help reduce the harmful inflammation caused by alcohol withdrawal.
The findings come from a new study published in the journal Alcohol. The research was carried out by scientists from the University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, a major research center known for studying Alzheimer’s disease, aging, and brain health.
Alcohol use disorder affects millions of people worldwide. Many people who struggle with alcohol dependence experience severe withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking. These symptoms can include anxiety, shaking, sweating, sleep problems, nausea, seizures, and emotional distress.
One of the biggest problems in treating alcohol use disorder is relapse. Many people return to drinking during withdrawal because the symptoms are physically and emotionally overwhelming. Scientists have been searching for better ways to make withdrawal safer and easier to manage.
In recent years, researchers have also begun paying more attention to the role of inflammation in the brain. Studies suggest that heavy alcohol use and withdrawal can trigger neuroinflammation, which means inflammation inside the brain and nervous system.
This inflammation may contribute not only to withdrawal symptoms, but also to long-term damage to brain cells and increased risk of relapse.
The new study focused on an experimental drug called MW150. The drug was originally developed to target inflammation linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers wanted to investigate whether the same drug could also reduce inflammation related to alcohol withdrawal.
The study was led by scientists working in the laboratory of Dr. Linda Van Eldik, director of the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging. Van Eldik is widely recognized for her research on brain inflammation and has spent years developing treatments that target harmful inflammatory pathways in the brain.
The researchers focused on a specific inflammatory pathway known as p38α MAPK. This pathway is strongly connected to inflammation inside the brain and has been linked to several neurological diseases.
Using laboratory models involving central nervous system cells, the scientists tested how MW150 affected inflammation during periods of alcohol exposure and withdrawal. They found that the drug reduced several inflammatory markers, especially during alcohol withdrawal.
According to co-author Dr. Caleb Bailey, the findings are still very early but highly encouraging. He explained that reducing inflammation in the brain might eventually help reduce some of the harmful effects associated with alcohol withdrawal.
The researchers also noted that alcohol use disorder remains extremely difficult to treat because relapse rates are so high. Anything that may help reduce stress and damage during withdrawal could potentially improve long-term recovery outcomes.
One reason the study is attracting attention is that MW150 and a related drug called Neflamapimod are already being tested in human clinical trials for dementia and other neurological conditions.
Because these drugs are already further along in development, scientists believe they may someday be adapted more quickly for other diseases if future studies continue to show positive results.
The research may be especially important in Kentucky, where alcohol plays a large role in culture and business. Kentucky is famous for bourbon production, but the state also faces serious public health concerns related to alcohol misuse and addiction.
Dr. Bailey said it is important to recognize both sides of this reality. While alcohol is closely tied to Kentucky’s identity, alcohol use disorder continues to harm many individuals, families, and communities across the state.
The researchers emphasized that even if reducing inflammation does not completely stop addictive behavior, protecting the brain from damage could still improve health outcomes for patients going through withdrawal.
The project also became an important achievement for undergraduate student McKenna Green, who served as the first author of the study. The publication marked her first lead-author scientific paper.
Green recently graduated from the University of Kentucky with degrees in psychology and public health. She joined the research lab in 2023 and has now been accepted into the university’s doctoral program in cognitive neuroscience experimental psychology.
She described the project as a meaningful opportunity to contribute to research that could someday help people struggling with alcohol use disorder.
The researchers caution that much more work is still needed before the treatment could be used in patients. The current study mainly examined inflammation in laboratory models rather than in human patients.
Future studies will explore whether MW150 can reduce inflammation in living animal models and whether this leads to lower relapse rates or improved recovery outcomes.
Still, the study highlights a growing scientific interest in understanding addiction not only as a behavioral condition but also as a disorder involving inflammation, brain chemistry, and neurological damage.
If future research confirms these findings, drugs originally created for dementia may one day play a role in helping people recover from alcohol addiction and withdrawal.
If you care about dementia, please read studies that eating apples and tea could keep dementia at bay, and Olive oil: a daily dose for better brain health.
For more health information, please see recent studies what you eat together may affect your dementia risk, and time-restricted eating: a simple way to fight aging and cancer.
Source: University of Kentucky.
