The effects of oral d-amphetamine on impulsivity in smoked and intranasal cocaine users. (1st June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Reed, Stephanie Collins; Evans, Suzette M.
• Is Part Of: Drug and alcohol dependence. Volume 163(2016)
• Page Start: 141
• Page End: 152
• Publication Date: 2016-06-01
• Subjects: Impulsivity -- Amphetamine -- Abuse liability -- Cocaine users -- Route; Drug abuse -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; 616.86
• DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.04.013
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0376-8716

Abstract

Highlights: Overall, smoked cocaine users were more impulsive than intranasal cocaine users. Group differences occurred primarily in impulsive measures with a delay component. Cocaine craving was greater in smoked cocaine users than intranasal cocaine users. Orald -amphetamine did not alter impulsivity in cocaine users. Orald -amphetamine did not increase positive subjective effects in cocaine users. Abstract: Background: Effective treatments for cocaine use disorders remain elusive. Two factors that may be related to treatment failures are route of cocaine used and impulsivity. Smoked cocaine users are more likely to have poorer treatment outcomes compared to intranasal cocaine users. Further, cocaine users are impulsive and impulsivity is associated with poor treatment outcomes. While stimulants are used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and attenuate certain cocaine-related behaviors, few studies have comprehensively examined whether stimulants can reduce behavioral impulsivity in cocaine users, and none examined route of cocaine use as a factor. Methods: The effects of immediate release orald -amphetamine (AMPH) were examined in 34 cocaine users (13 intranasal, 21 smoked). Participants had three separate sessions where they were administered AMPH (0, 10, or 20 mg) and completed behavioral measures of impulsivity and risk-taking and subjective measures of abuse liability. Results: Smoked cocaine users were more impulsive on the Delayed Memory Task, the GoStop task and the Delay Discounting Task than intranasal cocaine users. Smoked cocaine users also reported more cocaine craving and negative mood than intranasal cocaine users. AMPH produced minimal increases on measures of abuse liability (e.g., Drug Liking). Conclusions: Smoked cocaine users were more impulsive than intranasal cocaine users on measures of impulsivity that had a delay component. Additionally, although AMPH failed to attenuate impulsive responding, there was minimal evidence of abuse liability in cocaine users. These preliminary findings need to be confirmed in larger samples that control for route and duration of cocaine use.