The End of My Addiction

the inspiration and insight they gave me.
    My efforts to understand how baclofen could be so useful in the treatment of addiction, and to further research its effects and mechanisms of action, have brought me into contact with many outstanding figures in the medical and scientific community. I am grateful to all those who have discussed the science and treatment of addiction with me, especially George F. Koob, Eliot L. Gardner, David C. Roberts, Anna Rose Childress, Giancarlo Colombo, Giovanni Addolorato, Fabio Caputo, Mary Jeanne Kreek, Charles O’Brien, and Antonio Damasio. My brother, Jean-Claude Ameisen, and Jerome B. Posner gave me particularly valuable feedback on some of my papers.
    Thanks to Boris Pasche for urging me to write my self-case report on the suppression of my alcoholism, and to Georges Moroz for his encouragement as I sought to bring attention to baclofen.
    Alain Coblence first suggested that I write this book and gave me the benefit of his considerable acumen, both legal and otherwise, as it progressed to publication. He put me in touch with my literary agent, Michael Carlisle of Inkwell Management, whose belief in the importance of the baclofen story, unwavering support, and penetrating judgment ensured that these pages saw the light of day. I am grateful to them both not only for their consummate professionalism, but also for their friendship.
    I also wish to thank Michael Carlisle’s associate at Inkwell Management, Elisa Petrini, for her initial editorial help and suggestions. Hilary Hinzmann gave me invaluable assistance in the writing of the book, and I am happy for the friendship that has developed between us.
    No one could ask for a more astute, passionate, and creative editor and publisher than Sarah Crichton. She has made this a far better book than it otherwise would have been. I am also grateful for the work of her colleagues at Farrar, Straus and Giroux who helped usher the book into the world on a very tight schedule, including Cailey Hall, Debra Helfand, Susan Goldfarb, Don McConnell, Peter Richardson, Abby Kagan, Jeff Seroy, and Sarita Varma.
    Last but not least, thanks to Noëlle from the bottom of my heart for her affection, her infinite patience and willingness to listen, her counsel, and her understanding, which have been so precious to me.

Permission Acknowledgments
    Grateful acknowledgment is made to the following for granting permission to reprint these articles and abstracts in the appendix:
     
    Alcohol and Alcoholism vol. 40, no. 2, pp. 147-150, 2005. “Complete and prolonged suppression of symptoms and consequences of alcohol-dependence using high-dose baclofen: a self-case report of a physician.” Olivier Ameisen. By permission of the Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. Alcohol and Alcoholism vol. 42, no. 2, pp. 158-160, 2007. “Suppression of symptoms of alcohol dependence and craving using high-dose baclofen.” William Bucknam. By permission of the Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press.
    Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology vol. 27, no. 3, 2007. “Baclofen suppresses alcohol intake and craving for alcohol in a schizophrenic alcohol-dependence patient: a case report.” Agabio, R., Marras, P., Addolorato, G., et al. By permission of Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, and Wolters Kluwer Heath.
    Alcohol and Alcoholism vol. 37, no. 5, pp. 504-508, 2002. “Baclofen efficacy in reducing alcohol craving and intake: a preliminary double-blind randomized controlled study.” Giovanni Addolorato, Fabio Caputo, Esmeralda Capristo, Marco Domenicali, Mauro Bernardi, Luigi Janiri, Roberta Agabio, Giancarlo Colombo, Gian Luigi Gessa, and Giovanni Gasbarrini. By permission of the Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press.
    Reprinted from The Lancet , 370(9603) (8 December 2007-14 December 2007), 1915-1922. “Effectiveness and safety of baclofen for maintenance of alcohol abstinence in alcohol-dependent patients with live cirrhosis: randomised, double-blind controlled study.” Addolorato G., Leggio L., Ferrulli A., et al. With permission from Elsevier.
    American Journal of Psychiatry 146, 353-356, 1989. “Role of gamma-aminobutyric acid in antipanic drug efficacy.” Breslow, M. F., Fankhauser, M. P., Potter, R. L., et al. Reprinted with permission from the American Journal of Psychiatry (copyright 1989), American Psychiatric Association.
    The Annals of Pharmacotherapy 37, 1177-1181, 2003. “Baclofen treatment for chronic