[Treatment of alcoholic patients with tiapride]

The neuropsychiatric manifestations of alcoholism can be amended by neutralizing the somatic effects of alcohol on nervous centers. Tiapride acts electively on the mesolimbic area. Promising results have been obtained with tiapride in the various clinical forms of alcohol intoxication. Sixty patients (40 men and 20 women) were given tiapride for abnormal symptoms due to alcohol. Tolerance was good: no side-effects were recorded, with the exception of extrapyramidal manifestations in one patient. Symptoms due to alcohol abuse were alleviated. Relief of tremor was significant. Tiapride proved helpful in anxiety and depression and caused hallucinations to disappear in 35 cases.