Inclusion Criteria:
- Ages 21-65.
- Meet DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition) diagnostic criteria for AUD, as assessed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5).
- Currently not engaged in, and does not want treatment for, AUD.
- Currently not taking any medication for AUD.
- Able to read and understand questionnaires and informed consent.
- Lives within 50 miles of the study site.
- Physically healthy with no history of significant medical illness.
- Negative urine drug screen (UDS) for all substances of abuse prior to taking the first dose of medication.
Please contact clinical site for additional inclusion criteria.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Refusal of valid written consent.
- Insufficient English skills for consenting or interviews.
- Severe claustrophobia or morbid obesity that preclude placement in the MRI scanner.
- Contraindications to MRI scanning, ferrous metal in the body including intracranial, intraorbital, or intraspinal metal, pacemakers, cochlear implants or other non-MRI-compatible devices.
- History of head injury with loss of consciousness for more than 2 minutes, neurological illness, or history of neurosurgical procedures.
- Current DSM-5 diagnosis of any other substance use disorder except Nicotine Use Disorder.
- Current DSM-5 psychotic, mood, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, trauma-related, or eating disorder, as assessed by SCID-5.
- Current suicidal ideation or homicidal ideation.
- Current use of any psychoactive medication, as evidenced by self-report and UDS.
- History of severe alcohol withdrawal (e.g., seizure, delirium tremens), as evidenced by self-report and assessment with Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol-Revised (CIWA-Ar).
- Clinically significant medical problems such as cardiovascular, renal, gastrointestinal, or endocrine problems, as evidenced by medical history and physical exam.
- Past alcohol-related medical illness, such as gastrointestinal bleeding, pancreatitis, or peptic ulcer.
- Current or past hepatocellular disease, as indicated by verbal report or elevations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) greater than 3 times the upper limit of the normal range at screening.
- Females of childbearing potential who are pregnant (by plasma or urine HCG), nursing, or who are not using a reliable form of contraception.
- Current charges pending for a violent crime (not including DUI-related offenses).
- Currently incarcerated.
- Lack of a stable living situation.
- History of head injury with loss of consciousness for more than 2 minutes, neurological illness, or history of neurosurgical procedures.
- Decisionally challenged.