Influence of acute bupropion pre-treatment on the effects of intranasal cocaine

Aims The aim of this experiment was to determine the influence of acute bupropion pre-treatment on subject-rated effects and choice of intranasal cocaine versus money. Design A randomized, within-subject, placebo-controlled, double-blind experiment. Setting An out-patient research unit. Participants Eight cocaine-using adults. Measurements Subjects completed nine experimental sessions in which they were pre-treated with 0, 100 or 200mg oral immediate release bupropion. Ninety minutes later they sampled an intranasal cocaine dose [4 (placebo), 15 or 45mg] and made six choices between that dose and an alternative reinforcer (US$0.25), available on independent, concurrent progressive ratio schedules. Subjects also completed a battery of subject-rated, performance and physiological measures following the sample doses of cocaine. Findings After 0mg bupropion, the high dose of cocaine (45mg) was chosen five of six times on average compared to 2.25 of six choices for placebo cocaine (4mg) (P<0.05). Active bupropion reduced choice of 45mg cocaine to 3.13 (100mg) or 4.00 (200mg) out of six drug choices on average. Bupropion also consistently enhanced positive subject-rated effects of cocaine (e.g. good effects; willing to take again) while having no effects of its own. Conclusions The atypical antidepressant, bupropion, acutely appears to reduce preference for intranasal cocaine versus a small amount of money but to increase reported positive experiences of the drug.