Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 1, 2026

Assessment of Cocaine-induced Behavioral Sensitization and Conditioned Place Preference in Mice
Published on: February 18, 2016
Absence of acute cocaine interactions with the MAO-B inhibitor selegiline
K A Haberny1, S L Walsh, D H Ginn
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21224-6823, USA.
Abstract:
Selegiline, an irreversible monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) inhibitor, is under investigation as a treatment for cocaine relapse prevention. To evaluate its safety, human volunteers (n = 5) received intravenous cocaine (0, 20 and 40 mg, 1 h apart) following treatment with placebo or selegiline (10 mg, p.o.). Cocaine increased heart rate, blood pressure, pupil diameter and subjective indices of euphoria and craving. Selegiline produced no measureable effects, except for miosis, and did not alter the effects of cocaine. These data suggest that selegiline may be safely administered in combination with cocaine, and that selegiline is unlikely to increase reinforcing effects of cocaine.
Related Concept Videos
Adrenergic Agonists: Indirect-Acting Agents
One mechanism involves depleting stored catecholamines by displacing them from synaptic vesicles. These agents, known as "displacers," are transported into vesicles at the expense of noradrenaline. Examples include amphetamine and tyramine, which lack a catechol moiety, resulting in prolonged action, improved oral bioavailability, and...
Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Release or Uptake
Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Synthesis
Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents
Nonlinear Pharmacokinetics: Dependence of Elimination Half-Life and Dose Clearance
A study on guinea pigs examined the...
Drug toxicity: Drug–Drug Interaction

