Single dose of prednisone does not induce amphetamine-like subjective effects in healthy subjects

Among the methods developed in assessing abuse liability, the behavioural and subjective effects of drugs can be recorded using the Addiction Research Center Inventory (ARCI) in drug-experienced subjects and normal volunteers. Sixteen healthy volunteers with no history of drug abuse participated in the study. The subjective, behavioural and physiological effects of prednisone (30 and 60 mg) were compared with those of dextroamphetamine (15 mg) and placebo in a randomized double-blind Latin square design. The self-questionnaires (ARCI, Profile of Mood States, Visual Analogue Scales and Sleep Questionnaire) were completed before, 1, 2, 4 and 8 h post single oral dosing. Results showed that subjective effects of the two studied doses of prednisone did not resemble those induced by dextroamphetamine (15 mg). These results indicate that oral single doses of prednisone do not possess amphetamine-like subjective effects in a healthy population. The well established psychostimulant effect of amphetamine have been replicated on almost all subjective assessments.