Behavioral and physiological effects of cocaine in humans following triazolam

Jamie L. Haga; Robert W. Baker; Craig R. Rush

doi:10.1016/j.pbb.2003.07.004

Behavioral and physiological effects of cocaine in humans following triazolam

Jamie L. Haga, Robert W. Baker, Craig R. Rush

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Rationale: Cocaine abuse represents a significant public health problem. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonists may attenuate the behavioral effects of cocaine and may be effective pharmacotherapies for cocaine abuse and dependence. Objectives: The aim of this experiment was to determine the combined effects of oral cocaine (0 and 300 mg) and triazolam (0 and 0.5 mg), a GABA_A modulator, in 10 individuals with recent histories of cocaine use. Methods: Volunteers received each of the four possible drug combinations in mixed order. Drug effects were assessed using a battery of subject-rated drug-effect questionnaires and physiological indices. Results: Cocaine alone produced prototypical stimulant-like subject-rated drug effects (e.g., increased ratings of High, Like Drug, and Willing to Take Drug Again). Triazolam alone produced sedative-like effects (e.g., increased scores on the Pentobarbital, Chlorpromazine, Alcohol Group [PCAG] scale of the Addiction Research Center Inventory [ARCI]). Triazolam pretreatment did not significantly attenuate the subject-rated effects of cocaine. Conclusions: While the results of this study do not support the utility of GABA_A modulators as pharmacotherapies for cocaine abuse, future research should test other benzodiazepines (e.g., alprazolam) using more sophisticated methods (e.g., dose-response curves for the drugs alone and in combination) and behavioral arrangements (e.g., drug discrimination).

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	383-392
Number of pages	10
Journal	Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior
Volume	76
Issue number	3-4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2003.07.004
State	Published - Dec 2003

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The National Institute on Drug Abuse Grant DA 10325 13567 (C.R.R.) supported this research. The authors are also grateful to Richard L. Ogletree Jr., PharmD, for preparing the medications, and Catherine A. Hayes, MA, Josephine M. Gates, BS, and Keionna N. Jiles, BS, for their expert technical assistance. Finally, the authors are grateful to the entire staff of the General Inpatient Psychiatry Unit at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Funding

The National Institute on Drug Abuse Grant DA 10325 13567 (C.R.R.) supported this research. The authors are also grateful to Richard L. Ogletree Jr., PharmD, for preparing the medications, and Catherine A. Hayes, MA, Josephine M. Gates, BS, and Keionna N. Jiles, BS, for their expert technical assistance. Finally, the authors are grateful to the entire staff of the General Inpatient Psychiatry Unit at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Funders

Funder number

Author National Institute on Drug Abuse DA031791 Mark J Ferris National Institute on Drug Abuse DA006634 Mark J Ferris National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism AA026117 Mark J Ferris National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism AA028162 Elizabeth G Pitts National Institute of General Medical Sciences GM102773 Elizabeth G Pitts Peter McManus Charitable Trust Mark J Ferris National Institute on Drug Abuse

DA 10325 13567, R01DA013567

Author National Institute on Drug Abuse DA031791 Mark J Ferris National Institute on Drug Abuse DA006634 Mark J Ferris National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism AA026117 Mark J Ferris National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism AA028162 Elizabeth G Pitts National Institute of General Medical Sciences GM102773 Elizabeth G Pitts Peter McManus Charitable Trust Mark J Ferris National Institute on Drug Abuse

Keywords

Cocaine
Drug abuse
Humans
Physiological effects
Subjective effects
Triazolam

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Biochemistry
Toxicology
Pharmacology
Clinical Biochemistry
Biological Psychiatry
Behavioral Neuroscience

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.pbb.2003.07.004

Cite this

@article{a78b376180794aeb80f2510b09053fbf,

title = "Behavioral and physiological effects of cocaine in humans following triazolam",

abstract = "Rationale: Cocaine abuse represents a significant public health problem. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonists may attenuate the behavioral effects of cocaine and may be effective pharmacotherapies for cocaine abuse and dependence. Objectives: The aim of this experiment was to determine the combined effects of oral cocaine (0 and 300 mg) and triazolam (0 and 0.5 mg), a GABAA modulator, in 10 individuals with recent histories of cocaine use. Methods: Volunteers received each of the four possible drug combinations in mixed order. Drug effects were assessed using a battery of subject-rated drug-effect questionnaires and physiological indices. Results: Cocaine alone produced prototypical stimulant-like subject-rated drug effects (e.g., increased ratings of High, Like Drug, and Willing to Take Drug Again). Triazolam alone produced sedative-like effects (e.g., increased scores on the Pentobarbital, Chlorpromazine, Alcohol Group [PCAG] scale of the Addiction Research Center Inventory [ARCI]). Triazolam pretreatment did not significantly attenuate the subject-rated effects of cocaine. Conclusions: While the results of this study do not support the utility of GABAA modulators as pharmacotherapies for cocaine abuse, future research should test other benzodiazepines (e.g., alprazolam) using more sophisticated methods (e.g., dose-response curves for the drugs alone and in combination) and behavioral arrangements (e.g., drug discrimination).",

keywords = "Cocaine, Drug abuse, Humans, Physiological effects, Subjective effects, Triazolam",

author = "Haga, \{Jamie L.\} and Baker, \{Robert W.\} and Rush, \{Craig R.\}",

note = "Funding Information: The National Institute on Drug Abuse Grant DA 10325 13567 (C.R.R.) supported this research. The authors are also grateful to Richard L. Ogletree Jr., PharmD, for preparing the medications, and Catherine A. Hayes, MA, Josephine M. Gates, BS, and Keionna N. Jiles, BS, for their expert technical assistance. Finally, the authors are grateful to the entire staff of the General Inpatient Psychiatry Unit at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.",

year = "2003",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1016/j.pbb.2003.07.004",

language = "English",

volume = "76",

pages = "383--392",

number = "3-4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Behavioral and physiological effects of cocaine in humans following triazolam

AU - Haga, Jamie L.

AU - Baker, Robert W.

AU - Rush, Craig R.

N1 - Funding Information: The National Institute on Drug Abuse Grant DA 10325 13567 (C.R.R.) supported this research. The authors are also grateful to Richard L. Ogletree Jr., PharmD, for preparing the medications, and Catherine A. Hayes, MA, Josephine M. Gates, BS, and Keionna N. Jiles, BS, for their expert technical assistance. Finally, the authors are grateful to the entire staff of the General Inpatient Psychiatry Unit at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

PY - 2003/12

Y1 - 2003/12

N2 - Rationale: Cocaine abuse represents a significant public health problem. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonists may attenuate the behavioral effects of cocaine and may be effective pharmacotherapies for cocaine abuse and dependence. Objectives: The aim of this experiment was to determine the combined effects of oral cocaine (0 and 300 mg) and triazolam (0 and 0.5 mg), a GABAA modulator, in 10 individuals with recent histories of cocaine use. Methods: Volunteers received each of the four possible drug combinations in mixed order. Drug effects were assessed using a battery of subject-rated drug-effect questionnaires and physiological indices. Results: Cocaine alone produced prototypical stimulant-like subject-rated drug effects (e.g., increased ratings of High, Like Drug, and Willing to Take Drug Again). Triazolam alone produced sedative-like effects (e.g., increased scores on the Pentobarbital, Chlorpromazine, Alcohol Group [PCAG] scale of the Addiction Research Center Inventory [ARCI]). Triazolam pretreatment did not significantly attenuate the subject-rated effects of cocaine. Conclusions: While the results of this study do not support the utility of GABAA modulators as pharmacotherapies for cocaine abuse, future research should test other benzodiazepines (e.g., alprazolam) using more sophisticated methods (e.g., dose-response curves for the drugs alone and in combination) and behavioral arrangements (e.g., drug discrimination).

AB - Rationale: Cocaine abuse represents a significant public health problem. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonists may attenuate the behavioral effects of cocaine and may be effective pharmacotherapies for cocaine abuse and dependence. Objectives: The aim of this experiment was to determine the combined effects of oral cocaine (0 and 300 mg) and triazolam (0 and 0.5 mg), a GABAA modulator, in 10 individuals with recent histories of cocaine use. Methods: Volunteers received each of the four possible drug combinations in mixed order. Drug effects were assessed using a battery of subject-rated drug-effect questionnaires and physiological indices. Results: Cocaine alone produced prototypical stimulant-like subject-rated drug effects (e.g., increased ratings of High, Like Drug, and Willing to Take Drug Again). Triazolam alone produced sedative-like effects (e.g., increased scores on the Pentobarbital, Chlorpromazine, Alcohol Group [PCAG] scale of the Addiction Research Center Inventory [ARCI]). Triazolam pretreatment did not significantly attenuate the subject-rated effects of cocaine. Conclusions: While the results of this study do not support the utility of GABAA modulators as pharmacotherapies for cocaine abuse, future research should test other benzodiazepines (e.g., alprazolam) using more sophisticated methods (e.g., dose-response curves for the drugs alone and in combination) and behavioral arrangements (e.g., drug discrimination).

KW - Cocaine

KW - Drug abuse

KW - Humans

KW - Physiological effects

KW - Subjective effects

KW - Triazolam

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0345708179&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0345708179&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.pbb.2003.07.004

DO - 10.1016/j.pbb.2003.07.004

M3 - Article

C2 - 14643836

AN - SCOPUS:0345708179

SN - 0091-3057

VL - 76

SP - 383

EP - 392

JO - Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior

JF - Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior

IS - 3-4

ER -

Behavioral and physiological effects of cocaine in humans following triazolam

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this