This project focuses on the efficacy of a promising pharmacotherapy (ZON) for AUDs using a placebo-controlled design that will rigorously measure alcohol use and medication adherence. Results will guide novel mechanistic targets to better capture the heterogeneity within AUDs. This project will evaluate the ability of ZON to treat the alcohol use disorder.~The investigators hypothesize that the group assigned to ZON associated with the standard treatment (ZON+ST) will yield lower rates of biochemically verified alcohol use, fewer self-reported drinks per day, and fewer heavy drinking days during the 12-week treatment and 1-year follow-up periods, relative to the placebo associated with the standard treatment (PLO+ST) group.
A phase II randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial (RCT) to evaluate the ability of zonisamide (ZON) to decrease alcohol use among treatment-seeking adults with an alcohol use disorder (AUD).