Participants
DSM-IV-TR axis-I disorders, abuse of or addiction, DSM-IV-TR
DISORDERS, DISEASE
The local ethics committees requested only male AUD patients to be included into the trial. Patients were enrolled if they met all following inclusion criteria: (i) age between 25 and 60 years, (ii) diagnosis of alcohol dependence for at least 10 years according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th revision (DSM-IV-TR) and the International Classification of Disease 10th revision (ICD-10), (iii) completion of at least 9 years of school education, (iv) capacity to understand study procedures and provide informed written consent, (v) meet criteria of “treatment resistance”. This was defined as alcohol dependence for at least 10 years, at least 2 inpatient or day-care rehabilitation treatments of a total duration of at least 6 months and unsuccessful treatment with acamprosate or naltrexone, and (vi) consumption of at least 30 standard drinks (14 grams pure alcohol) per week over a 30-day period within the last 3 months.Exclusion criteria were: (i) abuse of or addiction to other substances (other than nicotine and alcohol) with a positive urine screening, (ii) other DSM-IV-TR axis-I disorders (excluded via a full SCID-I interview [The inclusion and exclusion criteria matched those used during previous trials [Because of medical detoxification as inpatients, all participants were abstinent at the time of surgery.