Clinical Trials

Seventy smokers who are currently alcohol dependent will be enrolled to this study. If found to be study eligible they will be randomized to either active varenicline or placebo for 12 weeks. During these two weeks, they will be seen either weekly or biweekly. At the end of treatment, they will be followed up for an addition 12 weeks. Their last study visit will be 6 months after randomization.

This study is being done to learn the helpfulness of a telephone-based program for support persons living in MN who are worried about a cigarette smoker living in MN.  This study will help support person learn new ways to be supportive as well as encourage a smoker to call the QUITPLAN Helpline.  The QUITPLAN Helpline is the tobacco Helpline for the state of Minnesota.  Research shows that Helpline?s are an effective way for smokers to quit or make a plan to quit.  The person you want to support does not need to be interested in or even thinking about quitting smoking in order for you to be in the study.   If the smoker does choose to call QUITPLAN, they are eligible for free services (counseling and/or nicotine replacement therapy) for seven months.  The seven months starts on the date of support person enrolling into our study.

This protocol will investigate the neurobiological underpinnings of alcohol craving in recently detoxified alcoholic drinkers utilizing novel functional brain imaging. This clinical magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) study will investigate whether glutamate and other brain metabolites correlate to measures of alcohol craving severity