Sleep drug shows promise in rewiring stress response in heavy drinkers

This early-phase study tested whether suvorexant, a sleep medication, could change how the brain and body respond to stress in people with moderate to severe alcohol use disorder. 81 adults took either suvorexant or a placebo nightly for 4 weeks, while researchers measured their startle response to threats and tracked their drinking. The goal was to understand if the drug affects stress-related brain activity and whether that leads to less heavy drinking.