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Published on: February 18, 2016
Cocaine choice in humans during D-amphetamine maintenance
Craig R Rush1, William W Stoops, Rajkamur J Sevak
1Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536-0086, USA. crush2@email.uky.edu
d-amphetamine maintenance may help reduce cocaine dependence by decreasing cocaine choice behavior. This agonist replacement therapy was well-tolerated and showed potential for managing addiction.
Area of Science:
- Addiction research
- Pharmacology
- Clinical psychology
Background:
- Cocaine dependence is a significant public health issue.
- Agonist replacement therapies, like d-amphetamine, show promise for managing substance use disorders.
- Previous studies suggest d-amphetamine's efficacy in preclinical and clinical settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of d-amphetamine maintenance on cocaine choice behavior in humans.
- To determine if d-amphetamine reduces the selection of cocaine.
- To assess the safety and tolerability of d-amphetamine during cocaine exposure.
Main Methods:
- Nine participants with cocaine dependence underwent two maintenance conditions: placebo and d-amphetamine (40 mg/d).
- Participants made choices between a standard dose of intranasal cocaine and varying doses of intranasal cocaine.
- Cocaine choice behavior and subject-rated drug effects were measured.
Main Results:
- All tested doses of cocaine were chosen more frequently than placebo, regardless of maintenance condition.
- A specific 20-mg dose of cocaine was chosen significantly less during d-amphetamine maintenance compared to placebo.
- Subjective effects of cocaine were not significantly altered by d-amphetamine, and the treatment was well-tolerated.
Conclusions:
- d-amphetamine maintenance may reduce cocaine choice behavior, particularly at certain doses.
- Agonist replacement therapy with d-amphetamine is a potentially viable strategy for cocaine dependence treatment.
- Further research is warranted to explore d-amphetamine's role in addiction management.
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