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Benzodiazepine modulation of opiate reward
1Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara 93106, USA.
Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology
|August 24, 2001
Summary
Benzodiazepines (BDZs) may enhance the euphoric effects of opiates. This study found that alprazolam pretreatment increased heroin
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychopharmacology
- Addiction Research
Background:
- Opiate addiction is a major public health concern.
- Benzodiazepines (BDZs) are frequently co-administered with opiates by users.
- BDZs are hypothesized to enhance the reinforcing effects of opiates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if benzodiazepine pretreatment augments the reinforcing properties of heroin.
- To test the hypothesis that BDZs enhance the affective response to opiates.
Main Methods:
- Sprague-Dawley rats were used in a conditioned place preference paradigm.
- Rats received intraperitoneal alprazolam pretreatment before intravenous heroin administration.
- Heroin dose-response curves were analyzed in the presence and absence of alprazolam.
Main Results:
- Alprazolam pretreatment resulted in a leftward shift of the heroin dose-response curve.
- This indicates that lower doses of heroin were needed to establish conditioned place preference with alprazolam.
- The findings suggest an augmentation of heroin's effects by alprazolam.
Conclusions:
- Benzodiazepines, specifically alprazolam, can enhance the affective and reinforcing properties of heroin in rats.
- This supports the hypothesis that co-administration of BDZs with opiates intensifies their effects.
- The study provides animal model evidence for the observed patterns in human opiate users.
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