Emotional traits predict individual differences in amphetamine-induced positive mood in healthy volunteers

Previous research on emotional correlates of individual differences in subjective responses to D-amphetamine has focused on relatively broad personality traits. Yet, emotional functioning is best characterized by several narrow subcomponents, each of which may contribute uniquely to amphetamine response. Here, we examine several specific subdomains of emotional functioning in relation to acute amphetamine response.

At a baseline session, healthy stimulant-naive volunteers (N = 97) completed measures of several subdomains of baseline trait emotional functioning and then completed two counterbalanced experimental sessions during which they received a single oral dose of 20 mg D-amphetamine or placebo. Acute subjective drug response measures were completed at repeated intervals before and after drug administration. Data from subjective measures that were significantly modulated by amphetamine were reduced using principal component analysis (amphetamine or placebo) into three higher-order factors of "positive mood," "arousal," and "drug high." Amphetamine did not significantly alter any "negative" subjective states. Separate multiple regression analyses were conducted regressing these three drug factors on baseline trait emotional functioning scales.

The combined set of trait emotional functioning indicators accounted for approximately 22 % of the variance in acute amphetamine-induced positive mood changes. Greater anticipatory pleasure and greater anxious distress each uniquely predicted greater amphetamine-induced positive mood. Trait emotional functioning did not significantly predict amphetamine-induced changes in arousal or drug high.

Emotional traits appear to moderate drug-induced positive mood but not other dimensions of amphetamine effects. Different facets of emotional functioning may differentially modulate amphetamine's subjective effect profile.