I wish to propose a hypothesis that could help explain some of the effects of baclofen in alcohol dependence that are described in Dr. Bucknam’s case study (Bucknam, 2007) and in my self-case report (Ameisen, 2005). At a behavioural level, alcohol, baclofen and GHB all share sedative/hypnotic effects in humans. Clinical trials have shown baclofen to reduce anxiety in alcoholic (Krupitsky et al ...

Baclofen became popular when cardiologist Olivier Ameisen described complete and prolonged suppression of symptoms and consequences of alcohol-dependence upon the use of high-dose baclofen in a self-case report (Ameisen 2005). In 2012, baclofen was approved by the AFSSAPS (Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des produits de santé French Agency for the Safety of Health Products) for use in th...

BACKGROUND Baclofen, the agonist of GABA(B) receptors, influences hypoxia-induced deficits in learning and memory processes. METHODS We studied the effects of baclofen on acquisition in the passive avoidance test and in the Morris water maze in groups of rats without or after hypoxia as well as the influence of baclofen on MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels in the hippocampus. RESULTS Even though baclo...

Inhibition mediated by GABA-B receptors can play a role in epilepsy. We therefore studied its involvement in cortical epileptic afterdischarges in adult rats by means of a GABA-B receptor agonist baclofen. Three different experiments were performed with cortical epileptic afterdischarges and an additional experiment studied possible effect of baclofen on cortical interhemispheric (transcallosal...

Background and aims: Transient lower oesophageal sphincter relaxations (TLOSRs) are the major cause of gastro-oesophageal reflux in normal subjects and in most patients with reflux disease. The gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor type B agonist, baclofen, is a potent inhibitor of TLOSRs in normal subjects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of baclofen on TLOSRs and postpra...

OBJECTIVE Baclofen is a GABA-B agonist that may be useful in the treatment of substance use disorders, and also reduces 'binge-like' eating in rodents. We hypothesized that baclofen might be effective in reducing binge eating episodes in binge eating disorder (BED) and bulimia nervosa (BN). METHOD Seven women with BED (n = 4) or BN (n = 3) took baclofen (60 mg/day) for 10 weeks. RESULTS Six...

Since 1977 several cases of hallucinations after abrupt withdrawal of oral baclofen have been described. There are no reports of hallucinations after gradual withdrawal of oral baclofen. No one has ever described visual hallucinations after abrupt interruption of intrathecal baclofen therapy. We describe five personally observed cases of visual hallucinations occurring after sudden interruption...

In this research study, the effect of baclofen (GABAB receptor agonist) on mean concentration of growth hormone, thyroxine, and triiodothyronine was examined. For this purpose, twelve Holstein Cows were divided into four groups. Then, each cow received daily injection of 25, 50, 75, and l00 mg/kg of baclofen for a period of four days. Blood samples were daily collected at one time point for eig...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA(B)) agonist baclofen has been shown to reduce reflux episodes during the first three postprandial hours in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and in normal controls. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of acute (one day) and chronic (four weeks) administration of baclofen on 24 hour pH metry and symptoms in GORD...

Baclofen, a gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor(B) agonist, is used to reduce symptoms of spasticity (hyperreflexia, increases in muscle tone, involuntary muscle activity), but the long-term effects of sustained baclofen use on skeletal muscle properties are unclear. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether baclofen use and paralysis due to cervical spinal cord injury change the contractile pr...