Overview
- A Scripps Research study published May 22, 2026, found chronic alcohol exposure raises IL‑6 signaling in the brain's central amygdala and that IL‑6 reduces GABAergic inhibition linked to overactive addiction circuits.
- In a mouse model of alcohol dependence, an antibody that blocks the IL‑6 receptor lowered excessive drinking only in alcohol-dependent female mice while dependent males and nondependent animals of both sexes showed no effect.
- The antibody tested belongs to the same class of drugs already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for autoimmune diseases, giving a clear, testable path for drug repurposing research.
- Postmortem analysis of 30 people with alcohol use disorder and 30 controls found elevated IL‑6 and other inflammation-related gene signals in AUD cases, lending human support to the animal results.
- Researchers stress the work is preclinical and that replication, safety assessment, clarification of the sex-specific response, and carefully designed clinical trials are required before any treatment change for people with AUD.