The Mineralocorticoid Receptor: An Emerging Pharmacotherapeutic Target for Alcohol Use Disorder?

Despite the high prevalence and negative consequences associated with alcohol use disorder (AUD), currently available pharmacotherapies are limited in number and efficacy. Several neuroendocrine pathways have been identified and are under investigation as potential pharmacotherapeutic targets for AUD. Here, we present the promise of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) as a novel target and discuss associations between the aldosterone/MR system and AUD, the effects of MR antagonism on alcohol consumption, and the underlying neurobiology of these effects.