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Decreases in smoking during treatment for methamphetamine-use disorders: preliminary evidence. Behav Pharmacol 2019; 29:370-374. [PMID: 29035917 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Despite high rates of smoking (70-90%) and the severely negative impact of smoking on physical and mental health, only 12% of individuals receiving stimulant-use disorder treatment also receive smoking-cessation treatment. The aim of this investigation was to examine the effect of a contingency management (CM) intervention targeting methamphetamine (MA) use on cigarette smoking. Sixty-one adults with MA-use disorders who were smokers were assigned to CM or standard psychosocial treatment. Rates of smoking-negative breath samples (carbon monoxide <3 ppm) were compared between the two groups while controlling for baseline carbon monoxide level, marijuana use, MA use, and time. This subgroup of mostly male (59%) participants included 44 participants in the CM group and 17 participants in the standard psychosocial treatment. Tobacco smoking participants who received CM targeting MA use were 140% (odds ratio: 2.395; 95% confidence interval: 1.073-5.346) more likely to submit a smoking-negative breath sample relative to standard psychosocial treatment during the treatment period, holding constant several other prespecified covariates. This study provides evidence that a behavioral treatment for MA use results in reductions in cigarette smoking in adults with MA-use disorder.
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Wall CS, Bono RS, Lester RC, Hoetger C, Lipato T, Guy MC, Eissenberg TE, Bickel WK, Barnes AJ, Cobb CO. Triangulating abuse liability assessment for flavoured cigar products using physiological, behavioural economic and subjective assessments: a within-subjects clinical laboratory protocol. BMJ Open 2018; 8:e023850. [PMID: 30309993 PMCID: PMC6252773 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In the USA, Food and Drug Administration regulations prohibit the sale of flavoured cigarettes, with menthol being the exception. However, the manufacture, advertisement and sale of flavoured cigar products are permitted. Such flavourings influence positive perceptions of tobacco products and are linked to increased use. Flavourings may mask the taste of tobacco and enhance smoke inhalation, influencing toxicant exposure and abuse liability among novice tobacco users. Using clinical laboratory methods, this study investigates how flavour availability affects measures of abuse liability in young adult cigarette smokers. The specific aims are to evaluate the effect of cigar flavours on nicotine exposure, and behavioural and subjective measures of abuse liability. METHODS AND ANALYSES Participants (projected n=25) are healthy smokers of five or more cigarettes per day over the past 3 months, 18-25 years old, naive to cigar use (lifetime use of 50 or fewer cigar products and no more than 10 cigars smoked in the past 30 days) and without a desire to quit cigarette smoking in the next 30 days. Participants complete five laboratory sessions in a Latin square design with either their own brand cigarette or a session-specific Black & Mild cigar differing in flavour (apple, cream, original and wine). Participants are single-blinded to cigar flavours. Each session consists of two 10-puff smoking bouts (30 s interpuff interval) separated by 1 hour. Primary outcomes include saliva nicotine concentration, behavioural economic task performance and response to various questionnaire items assessing subjective effects predictive of abuse liability. Differences in outcomes across own brand cigarette and flavoured cigar conditions will be tested using linear mixed models. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The Virginia Commonwealth University Institutional Review Board approved the study (VCU IRB: HM20007848). Dissemination channels for study findings include scientific journals, scientific meetings, and policy briefs. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT02937051.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine S Wall
- Department of Health Behavior and Policy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Rose S Bono
- Department of Health Behavior and Policy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Rebecca C Lester
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Center for the Study of Tobacco Products, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Cosima Hoetger
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Center for the Study of Tobacco Products, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Thokozeni Lipato
- Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Mignonne C Guy
- Department of African American Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Thomas E Eissenberg
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Center for the Study of Tobacco Products, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Warren K Bickel
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Roanoke, Virginia, USA
| | - Andrew J Barnes
- Department of Health Behavior and Policy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Center for the Study of Tobacco Products, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Caroline O Cobb
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Center for the Study of Tobacco Products, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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Wesley MJ, Westgate PM, Stoops WW, Kelly TH, Hays LR, Lile JA. Influence of tiagabine maintenance on cannabis effects and related behaviors in daily cannabis users. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2018; 26:310-319. [PMID: 29863387 PMCID: PMC5990026 DOI: 10.1037/pha0000180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
No medications are approved for cannabis use disorder (CUD). Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) reuptake is modulated by cannabinoid (CB) receptor agonists, and there are shared effects between CB agonists and the GABA reuptake inhibitor tiagabine. This overlapping neuropharmacology suggested that tiagabine might be useful for CUD. The study determined the ability of tiagabine maintenance to reduce cannabis self-administration using a placebo-controlled, double-blind, counterbalanced, within-subjects design. Nontreatment-seeking daily cannabis users (N = 12; 3 female, 9 male) completed two 12-day outpatient maintenance phases (0 or 12 mg of tiagabine/day). Each phase consisted of a safety session, 7 maintenance days, and 4 experimental sessions. During experimental sessions, maintenance continued and participants completed two 2-day blocks of sampling and self-administration sessions to determine the reinforcing effects of smoked cannabis (0% and 5.9% Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Naturalistic cannabis use, the subjective, performance and physiological response to cannabis, as well as side effects, sleep quality, craving, other self-reported substance use, and observer ratings were also measured. Cannabis functioned as a reinforcer and produced prototypical effects (e.g., increased heart rate and ratings of "high"), but tiagabine generally did not impact the effects of cannabis, or alter naturalistic use. Furthermore, tiagabine produced small, but significant, increases on 2 subscales of a Marijuana Craving Questionnaire, and reductions in both the amount of time slept in the past 24 hr and ratings of positive mood upon awakening. These human laboratory results from a sample of nontreatment-seeking cannabis users do not support the potential efficacy of 12 mg of tiagabine as a stand-alone pharmacotherapy for CUD. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Wesley
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, College of Medicine Office Building, Lexington, KY 40536-0086, USA
| | - Philip M. Westgate
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, 111 Washington Ave, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - William W. Stoops
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, College of Medicine Office Building, Lexington, KY 40536-0086, USA,Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, 106-B Kastle Hall, Lexington, KY 40506-0044, USA,Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 3470 Blazer Pkwy, Lexington, KY 40509-1810, USA
| | - Thomas H. Kelly
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, College of Medicine Office Building, Lexington, KY 40536-0086, USA,Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, 106-B Kastle Hall, Lexington, KY 40506-0044, USA,Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 3470 Blazer Pkwy, Lexington, KY 40509-1810, USA
| | - Lon R. Hays
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 3470 Blazer Pkwy, Lexington, KY 40509-1810, USA,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 740 South Limestone St., J525 Kentucky Clinic, Lexington, KY 40536-0284, USA
| | - Joshua A. Lile
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, College of Medicine Office Building, Lexington, KY 40536-0086, USA,Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, 106-B Kastle Hall, Lexington, KY 40506-0044, USA,Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 3470 Blazer Pkwy, Lexington, KY 40509-1810, USA,To whom correspondence should be addressed: Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0086 phone: 1-859-323-6034 or fax: 1-859-323-5350
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Johnson MW, Herrmann ES, Sweeney MM, LeComte RS, Johnson PS. Cocaine administration dose-dependently increases sexual desire and decreases condom use likelihood: The role of delay and probability discounting in connecting cocaine with HIV. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:599-612. [PMID: 27921140 PMCID: PMC5343757 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4493-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Although cocaine use has been linked to sexual HIV risk behavior for decades, the direct effects of cocaine on sexual desire and sexual decision-making are unexamined. Research suggests delay discounting (devaluation of future outcomes) and probability discounting (devaluation of uncertain outcomes) play roles in condom use decisions. This study examined the effect of cocaine administration on sexual desire, hypothetical condom use, and discounting tasks. METHODS This double-blind, within-subjects study compared the effects of 0, 125, and 250 mg/70 kg oral cocaine HCl in 12 cocaine users. Measures included sexual desire and other subjective ratings, the Sexual Delay Discounting Task, the Sexual Probability Discounting Task, and monetary delay and probability discounting tasks. RESULTS Cocaine caused dose-related increases in sexual desire and prototypical stimulant abuse-liability ratings. Relative to placebo, cocaine did not significantly alter condom use likelihood when condoms were immediately available or when sex was associated with 100% certainty of sexually transmitted infection (STI). In contrast, cocaine dose-dependently strengthened the effect of delay (sexual delay discounting) and STI uncertainty (sexual probability discounting) in decreasing condom use likelihood. Cocaine caused no significant change in monetary delay and probability discounting. CONCLUSION This is the first study showing that cocaine administration increases sexual desire. Detrimental effects of cocaine on sexual risk were only observed when safer sex required delay, or STI risk was uncertain (representative of many real-world scenarios), suggesting a critical role of discounting processes. Lack of monetary effects highlights the importance of studying clinically relevant outcomes when examining drug effects on behavioral processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew W Johnson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
| | - Evan S Herrmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
- Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mary M Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Robert S LeComte
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Patrick S Johnson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Chico, CA, USA
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Verplaetse TL, McKee SA. An overview of alcohol and tobacco/nicotine interactions in the human laboratory. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2016; 43:186-196. [PMID: 27439453 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2016.1189927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol use disorders and tobacco use contribute significant risk to the global burden of disease, and each are major public health concerns. Together, alcohol and tobacco use are highly comorbid and have multiplicative health risks when used concurrently, underscoring the importance of examining alcohol-tobacco interactions in the human laboratory. OBJECTIVE The aims of this review were to summarize the state of research examining alcohol-tobacco interactions in the human laboratory. METHODS We reviewed human laboratory evidence for alcohol and tobacco/nicotine interactions, including 1) craving in drinkers and smokers exposed to smoking or drinking cues, 2) fixed-dosing of alcohol or nicotine in smokers and drinkers, and 3) smoking and alcohol influences on self-administration behaviors. The interactive effects of tobacco/nicotine with other drugs of abuse are also briefly discussed. RESULTS Overall, results identified that alcohol and tobacco have reciprocal influences on potentiating craving, subjective responses to fixed-dose alcohol or nicotine administration, and self-administration. The literature identified that alcohol increases craving to smoke, decreases time to initiate smoking, and increases smoking self-administration. Similarly, tobacco and nicotine increase alcohol craving, decrease subjective effects of alcohol, and increase alcohol consumption. CONCLUSION Future studies should continue to focus on alcohol and tobacco/nicotine interactions in individuals with a wide scope of drinking and smoking histories, different states of alcohol and nicotine deprivation, and influences of either drug on craving, subjective responses, and consumption over the course of the blood alcohol curve. This work could have important implications for the impact of alcohol-tobacco interactions on guiding clinical practice, as well as in the changing landscape of addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sherry A McKee
- a Department of Psychiatry , Yale School of Medicine , New Haven , CT , USA
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Schwienteck KL, Negus SS, Poklis JL, Banks ML. Effects of continuous nicotine treatment and subsequent termination on cocaine versus food choice in male rhesus monkeys. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2015; 23:395-404. [PMID: 26098473 PMCID: PMC4579004 DOI: 10.1037/pha0000023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
One complicating factor in cocaine addiction may be concurrent exposure and potential dependence on nicotine. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of continuous nicotine treatment and subsequent termination on cocaine versus food choice in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). For comparison, we also determined effects of the nicotinic receptor antagonist mecamylamine on cocaine versus food choice during continuous saline and nicotine treatment. Rhesus monkeys (N = 3) responded under a concurrent schedule of food pellet (1 g) and intravenous cocaine (0-0.1 mg/kg/injection) availability. Saline and ascending nicotine doses (0.1-1.0 mg/kg/hr, intravenous) were continuously infused for 7-day treatment periods and separated by 24-hr saline treatment periods. Acute effects of mecamylamine (0.32-1.8 mg/kg, intramuscular, 15 min pretreatment) were determined during continuous saline and 0.32-mg/kg/hr nicotine treatments. During saline treatment, cocaine maintained a dose-dependent increase in cocaine choice. Nicotine treatment did not alter cocaine versus food choice. In contrast, preference of 0.032 mg/kg/injection cocaine was attenuated 24 hr following termination of 0.32-mg/kg/hr nicotine treatment, despite no somatic abstinence signs being observed. Acute mecamylamine enhanced cocaine choice during saline treatment and mainly suppressed rates of behavior during nicotine treatment. Overall, continuous nicotine exposure, up to 1 mg/kg/hr, does not enhance cocaine choice and does not produce nicotine dependence, as demonstrated by the lack of abstinence signs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - S. Stevens Negus
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
- Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Justin L. Poklis
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Matthew L. Banks
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
- Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
- Corresponding Author: Matthew L. Banks, PharmD, PhD, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 410 North 12 Street, PO Box 980613, Richmond, VA 23298, Phone: (804) 828-8466, Fax: (804) 828-2117,
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Brewer AJ, Mahoney JJ, Nerumalla CS, Newton TF, De La Garza R. The influence of smoking cigarettes on the high and desire for cocaine among active cocaine users. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2013; 106:132-6. [PMID: 23541494 PMCID: PMC3707485 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2013.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2012] [Revised: 03/04/2013] [Accepted: 03/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The primary aim was to evaluate whether nicotine use alters the high or desire for cocaine among active cocaine users who concurrently smoke cigarettes. Participants answered the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), Nicotine-Stimulant Interaction Questionnaire (NSIQ), and Multiple Drug Use Questionnaire (MDUQ). These questionnaires employ subject recall of participants' drug use habits. The participants that smoked (N=163/188) were primarily African American males who were 45.0±0.5 (mean±S.E.M.) years of age, and used cocaine for 17.9±0.6 years and 19.8±0.6 days out of the last 30. These individuals smoked 14.0±0.8 cigarettes/day (CPD), scored 4.6±0.2 (on a scale of 0-10) on the FTND, and smoked cigarettes for 23.5±0.7 years. Two questions from the MDUQ, which evaluates the interaction between cocaine and nicotine, (-5: reduces effect, 0: no change, +5: increases effect) included "Does nicotine affect the high that you experience from cocaine?" and "Does nicotine affect your desire for cocaine?", and the scores were 1.3±0.2 and 0.8±0.2, respectively. The NSIQ also evaluated interactive effects of nicotine and cocaine, on a scale of 0 to 100 (0: not at all, 100: most ever). Smokers responded most strongly that using cocaine increased both the urge to smoke and cigarette craving. Additional analyses were performed by separating participants into HighCPD vs. LowCPD groups via median split. The HighCPD group smoked 22.7±1.1 CPD while the LowCPD group smoked 6.4±0.3 CPD [F(1,161)=228.4, p<0.0001], and the HighCPD group had a mean FTND score twice that of the LowCPD group. Significant differences emerged between the two groups on multiple items of the NSIQ, but not the MDUQ. The subjective ratings of high and desire for cocaine, and several subjective effects produced by cocaine, were modestly altered by cigarette smoking. Taken together, these data suggest that cigarette smoking may augment the craving and high produced by cocaine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex J Brewer
- Baylor College of Medicine, Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Houston, TX, USA.
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Sofuoglu M, Herman AI, Li Y, Waters AJ. Galantamine attenuates some of the subjective effects of intravenous nicotine and improves performance on a Go No-Go task in abstinent cigarette smokers: a preliminary report. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2012; 224:413-20. [PMID: 22700039 PMCID: PMC3636552 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-012-2763-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2012] [Accepted: 05/31/2012] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Galantamine (GAL), a reversible and competitive inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase, is used clinically in the treatment of Alzheimer's dementia. Some preclinical and clinical studies support the potential efficacy of cholinesterase inhibitors for smoking cessation, although their effects on the behavioral and physiological responses to nicotine have not been examined. The goal of this study was to characterize GAL's actions on multiple outcomes, including withdrawal severity and cognitive performance, as well as subjective and physiological responses to nicotine administered intravenously. METHODS A total of 12 smokers participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Smokers had two 4-day treatment periods, assigned in random sequence, to GAL (8 mg/day) or placebo treatment. On day 4 of each treatment phase, smokers had an experimental session in which they received an intravenous (IV) dose of saline or 1 mg/70 kg nicotine, 1 h apart, in a random order. RESULTS GAL attenuated the self-reported rating of "craving for cigarettes" and prevented decrements in performance in a Go/No-Go task. In response to IV nicotine, GAL treatment attenuated the self-report ratings of "like the drug effects," "good drug effects," "bad drug effects," and "stimulated." CONCLUSIONS These findings support the potential utility of GAL as a treatment for smoking cessation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Sofuoglu
- School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Yale University, 950 Campbell Ave, Bldg 36/116A4, West Haven, CT, USA.
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Abstract
AIMS To provide an initial abuse liability assessment of an electronic cigarette (EC) in current tobacco cigarette smokers. DESIGN The first of four within-subject sessions was an EC sampling session that involved six, 10-puff bouts (30 seconds inter-puff interval), each bout separated by 30 minutes. In the remaining three sessions participants made choices between 10 EC puffs and varying amounts of money, 10 EC puffs and a varying number of own brand cigarette (OB) puffs, or 10 OB puffs and varying amounts of money using the multiple-choice procedure (MCP). The MCP was completed six times at 30-minute intervals, and one choice was reinforced randomly at each trial. SETTING Clinical laboratory. PARTICIPANTS Twenty current tobacco cigarette smokers. MEASUREMENTS Sampling session outcome measures included plasma nicotine, cardiovascular response and subjective effects. Choice session outcome was the cross-over value on the MCP. FINDINGS EC use resulted in significant nicotine delivery, tobacco abstinence symptom suppression and increased product acceptability ratings. On the MCP, participants chose to receive 10 EC puffs over an average of $1.06 or three OB puffs and chose 10 OB puffs over an average of $1.50 (P < 0.003). CONCLUSIONS Electronic cigarettes can deliver clinically significant amounts of nicotine and reduce cigarette abstinence symptoms and appear to have lower potential for abuse relative to traditional tobacco cigarettes, at least under certain laboratory conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea R Vansickel
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
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Separate and combined effects of the cannabinoid agonists nabilone and Δ⁹-THC in humans discriminating Δ⁹-THC. Drug Alcohol Depend 2011; 116:86-92. [PMID: 21227600 PMCID: PMC3089804 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2010] [Revised: 11/22/2010] [Accepted: 11/24/2010] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Agonist replacement treatment is a promising strategy to manage cannabis-use disorders. The aim of this study was to assess the combined effects of the synthetic cannabinoid agonist nabilone and Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹-THC) using drug-discrimination procedures, which are sensitive to drug interactions. Testing the concurrent administration of nabilone and Δ⁹-THC was also conducted to provide initial safety and tolerability data, which is important because cannabis users will likely lapse during treatment. METHODS Six cannabis users learned to discriminate 30 mg oral Δ⁹-THC from placebo and then received nabilone (0, 1 and 3mg) and Δ⁹-THC (0, 5, 15 and 30 mg), alone and in combination. Subjects completed the multiple-choice procedure to assess drug reinforcement, and self-report, task performance and physiological measures were collected. RESULTS Δ⁹-THC and nabilone alone shared discriminative-stimulus effects with the training dose of Δ⁹-THC, increased crossover point on the multiple-choice procedure, produced overlapping subject ratings and decreased skin temperature. Nabilone alone also elevated heart rate. In combination, nabilone shifted the discriminative-stimulus effects of Δ⁹-THC leftward/upward and enhanced Δ⁹-THC effects on the other outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS These results replicate a previous study demonstrating that nabilone shares agonist effects with the active constituent of cannabis in cannabis users, and contribute further by indicating that nabilone would likely be safe and well tolerated when combined with cannabis. These data support the conduct of future studies to determine if nabilone treatment would produce cross-tolerance to the abuse-related effects of cannabis and reduce cannabis use.
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Mello NK, Newman JL. Discriminative and reinforcing stimulus effects of nicotine, cocaine, and cocaine + nicotine combinations in rhesus monkeys. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2011; 19:203-14. [PMID: 21480727 PMCID: PMC3144152 DOI: 10.1037/a0023373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Concurrent cigarette smoking and cocaine use is well documented. However, the behavioral pharmacology of cocaine and nicotine combinations is poorly understood, and there is a need for animal models to examine this form of polydrug abuse. The purpose of this study was twofold: first to assess the effects of nicotine on the discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine, and second, to study self-administration of nicotine/cocaine combinations in a novel polydrug abuse model. In drug discrimination experiments, nicotine increased the discriminative stimulus effects of low cocaine doses in two of three monkeys, but nicotine did not substitute for cocaine in any monkey. Self-administration of cocaine and nicotine alone, and cocaine + nicotine combinations was studied under a second-order fixed ratio 2, variable ratio 16 (FR2[VR16:S]) schedule of reinforcement. Cocaine and nicotine alone were self-administered in a dose-dependent manner. The combination of marginally reinforcing doses of cocaine and nicotine increased drug self-administration behavior above levels observed with the same dose of either cocaine or nicotine alone. These findings indicate that nicotine may increase cocaine's discriminative stimulus and reinforcing effects in rhesus monkeys, and illustrate the feasibility of combining cocaine and nicotine in a preclinical model of polydrug abuse. Further studies of the behavioral effects of nicotine + cocaine combinations will contribute to our understanding the pharmacology of dual nicotine and cocaine dependence, and will be useful for evaluation of new treatment medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy K Mello
- Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Center, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478, USA.
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Morelli M, Simola N. Methylxanthines and drug dependence: a focus on interactions with substances of abuse. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2011:483-507. [PMID: 20859810 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-13443-2_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
This chapter examines the psychostimulant actions of methylxanthines, with a focus on the consequences of their excessive use. Consumption of methylxanthines is pervasive and their use is often associated with that of substances known to produce dependence and to have abuse potential. Therefore, the consequences of this combined use are taken into consideration in order to evaluate whether, and to what extent, methylxanthines could influence dependence on or abuse of other centrally active substances, leading to either amplification or attenuation of their effects. Since the methylxanthine that mostly influences mental processes and readily induces psychostimulation is caffeine, this review mainly focuses on caffeine as a prototype of methylxanthine-produced dependence, examining, at the same time, the risks related to caffeine use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micaela Morelli
- Department of Toxicology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
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Intranasal cocaine functions as reinforcer on a progressive ratio schedule in humans. Eur J Pharmacol 2010; 644:101-5. [PMID: 20638380 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2010.06.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2010] [Revised: 06/07/2010] [Accepted: 06/24/2010] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Cocaine dependence continues to be a worldwide public health concern. Although the majority of individuals reporting cocaine use do so via the intranasal route, relatively few laboratory experiments have examined the reinforcing effects of cocaine administered intranasally. The purpose of this experiment was to measure the reinforcing effects of intranasal cocaine using a progressive ratio schedule in which eight cocaine-using subjects chose between doses of cocaine (4 [placebo], 15, 30 and 45 mg) and an alternative reinforcer ($0.25). During each session, subjects first sampled the dose of cocaine available that day and then made six choices between that dose and money, which were available on concurrent progressive ratio schedules of responding. Break points for active cocaine doses were higher than those for placebo but no statistically significant active versus placebo dose effects were observed on subject-rated or physiological measures. These data demonstrate that intranasal cocaine functions as a reinforcer under a progressive ratio schedule in humans. Future research should test higher cocaine doses and larger values of the alternative reinforcer. These procedures may be useful for examining the influence of putative pharmacological and behavioral interventions on intranasal cocaine self-administration.
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Comer SD, Bickel WK, Yi R, de Wit H, Higgins ST, Wenger GR, Johanson CE, Kreek MJ. Human behavioral pharmacology, past, present, and future: symposium presented at the 50th annual meeting of the Behavioral Pharmacology Society. Behav Pharmacol 2010; 21:251-77. [PMID: 20664330 PMCID: PMC2913311 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0b013e32833bb9f8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
A symposium held at the 50th annual meeting of the Behavioral Pharmacology Society in May 2007 reviewed progress in the human behavioral pharmacology of drug abuse. Studies on drug self-administration in humans are reviewed that assessed reinforcing and subjective effects of drugs of abuse. The close parallels observed between studies in humans and laboratory animals using similar behavioral techniques have broadened our understanding of the complex nature of the pharmacological and behavioral factors controlling drug self-administration. The symposium also addressed the role that individual differences, such as sex, personality, and genotype play in determining the extent of self-administration of illicit drugs in human populations. Knowledge of how these factors influence human drug self-administration has helped validate similar differences observed in laboratory animals. In recognition that drug self-administration is but one of many choices available in the lives of humans, the symposium addressed the ways in which choice behavior can be studied in humans. These choice studies in human drug abusers have opened up new and exciting avenues of research in laboratory animals. Finally, the symposium reviewed behavioral pharmacology studies conducted in drug abuse treatment settings and the therapeutic benefits that have emerged from these studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra D Comer
- New York State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, NY 10032, USA.
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15
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Epstein DH, Marrone GF, Heishman SJ, Schmittner J, Preston KL. Tobacco, cocaine, and heroin: Craving and use during daily life. Addict Behav 2010; 35:318-24. [PMID: 19939575 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2009.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2009] [Revised: 11/02/2009] [Accepted: 11/08/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Relationships among tobacco smoking, tobacco craving, and other drug use and craving may have treatment implications in polydrug-dependent individuals. METHODS We conducted the first ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study to investigate how smoking is related to other drug use and craving during daily life. For up to 20 weeks, 106 methadone-maintained outpatients carried PalmPilots (PDAs). They reported their craving, mood, behaviors, environment, and cigarette-smoking status in 2 to 5 random-prompt entries/day and initiated PDA entries when they used cocaine or heroin or had a discrete episode of craving for cocaine or heroin. RESULTS Smoking frequency increased linearly with random-prompt ratings of tobacco craving, cocaine craving, and craving for both cocaine and heroin. Smoking frequency was greater during discrete episodes of cocaine use and craving than during random-prompt reports of low craving for cocaine. This pattern was also significant for dual cocaine and heroin use and craving. Smoking and tobacco craving were each considerably reduced during periods of urine-verified abstinence from cocaine, and there was a (nonsignificant) tendency for morning smoking to be especially reduced during those periods. CONCLUSIONS This EMA study confirms that smoking and tobacco craving are strongly associated with the use of and craving for cocaine and heroin. Together with prior findings, our data suggest that tobacco and cocaine may each increase craving for (and likelihood of continued use of) themselves and each other. Treatment for tobacco dependence should probably be offered concurrently with (rather than only after) initiation of treatment for other substance-use disorders.
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Carter LP, Stitzer ML, Henningfield JE, O'Connor RJ, Cummings KM, Hatsukami DK. Abuse liability assessment of tobacco products including potential reduced exposure products. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009; 18:3241-62. [PMID: 19959676 PMCID: PMC2798587 DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-09-0948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The harm produced by tobacco products is a result of frequent use of a highly toxic product. Reducing the adverse public health impact of tobacco products might be most effectively achieved by reducing the likelihood of their use and the toxicity of the products. Products that retain some characteristics of cigarettes but have been altered with the intention of reducing toxicity have been referred to as modified risk tobacco products or potential reduced exposure products (MRTP/PREP). Evaluation of their content, emission, and toxicity is discussed in other articles in this special issue. Here, we discuss the methodology that has been used to examine the likelihood of abuse or addiction. Abuse liability assessment (ALA) methodology has been used by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other drug regulatory agencies world-wide for decades to assess the risks posed by a wide variety of pharmacologically active substances. ALA is routinely required among other evaluations of safety during the pre-market assessment of new drugs, and is continually adapted to meet the challenges posed by new drug classes and drug formulations. In the 2009 law giving FDA regulation over tobacco products, FDA is now required to evaluate new tobacco products including MRTP/PREPs to determine their risk for abuse and toxicity at the population level. This article describes the traditional tools and methods of ALA that can be used to evaluate new tobacco and nicotine products including MRTP/PREPs. Such ALA data could contribute to the scientific foundation on which future public policy decisions are based.
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Abstract
Acetylcholine, the first neurotransmitter discovered, participates in many CNS functions, including sensory and motor processing, sleep, nociception, mood, stress response, attention, arousal, memory, motivation and reward. These diverse cholinergic effects are mediated by nicotinic- and muscarinic-type cholinergic receptors (nAChR and mAChR, respectively). The goal of this review is to synthesize a growing literature that supports the potential role of acetylcholine as a treatment target for stimulant addiction. Acetylcholine interacts with the dopaminergic reward system in the ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. In the ventral tegmental area, both nAChR and mAChR stimulate the dopaminergic system. In the nucleus accumbens, cholinergic interneurons integrate cortical and subcortical information related to reward. In the prefrontal cortex, the cholinergic system contributes to the cognitive aspects of addiction. Preclinical studies support a facilitative role of nicotinic receptor agonists in the development of stimulant addiction. In contrast, nonselective muscarinic receptor agonists seem to have an inhibitory role. In human studies, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, which increase synaptic acetylcholine levels, have shown promise for the treatment of stimulant addiction. Further studies testing the efficacy of cholinergic medications for stimulant addiction are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Sofuoglu
- Yale University, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Connecticut 06516, USA.
| | - Marc Mooney
- Tobacco Use Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414
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Weinberger AH, Sofuoglu M. The impact of cigarette smoking on stimulant addiction. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2009; 35:12-7. [PMID: 19152200 DOI: 10.1080/00952990802326280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Stimulant users smoke cigarettes at high rates; however, little is known about the relationship between tobacco and stimulants. METHODS Our goal in this article is to synthesize a growing literature on the role of cigarette smoking in stimulant addiction. RESULTS Early nicotine exposure may influence the development of stimulant addiction. Preclinical and clinical studies suggest a facilitatory role of nicotinic agonists for stimulant addiction. Smoking appears to be associated with more severe stimulant use and poorer treatment outcomes. CONCLUSIONS It is important to assess smoking and smoking-related variables within stimulant research studies to more fully understand the comorbidity. Integrating smoking cessation into stimulant treatment may improve nicotine and stimulant treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea H Weinberger
- Program for Research on Smokers with Mental Illness (PRISM), Substance Abuse Center, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
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Interactive effects of ethanol and nicotine on learning in C57BL/6J mice depend on both dose and duration of treatment. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2008; 196:483-95. [PMID: 17968532 PMCID: PMC2722442 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-007-0982-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2007] [Accepted: 10/11/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE Alcohol and nicotine are commonly co-abused; one possible explanation for co-abuse is that each drug ameliorates the aversive effects of the other. Both drugs have dose-dependent effects on learning and memory. Thus, this study examined the interactive effects of acute ethanol and acute, chronic, or withdrawal from chronic nicotine on fear conditioning in C57BL/6J mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS Conditioning consisted of auditory conditioned stimulus-foot-shock unconditioned stimulus pairings. For acute studies, saline or ethanol, then saline or nicotine was administered before training, and saline or nicotine was also administered before testing. For chronic and withdrawal studies, saline or nicotine was administered chronically, and ethanol or saline was administered before training. RESULTS Acute nicotine (0.09 mg/kg) reversed ethanol-induced deficits (1.0 and 1.5 g/kg) in contextual and cued fear conditioning, whereas a low dose of ethanol (0.25 g/kg) reversed nicotine (6.3 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) withdrawal-induced deficits in contextual conditioning. Tolerance developed for the effects of nicotine on ethanol-induced deficits in conditioning and cross-tolerance between chronic nicotine and acute ethanol was seen for the enhancing effects of ethanol on conditioning. CONCLUSIONS The complex and sometimes polar actions of ethanol and nicotine on behavior may contribute to co-abuse of these drugs. Specifically, smoking may initially reduce the aversive effects of ethanol, but tolerance develops for this effect. In addition, low doses of alcohol may lessen nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
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Sigmon SC. Investigating the pharmacological and nonpharmacological factors that modulate drug reinforcement. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2007; 15:1-20. [PMID: 17295581 DOI: 10.1037/1064-1297.15.1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Drug use is driven by principles of reinforcement and is sensitive to influences in the environmental context in which it occurs. Although a wide range of factors has been shown to directly influence the reinforcing effects of commonly abused drugs, 2 general types include pharmacological and nonpharmacological factors. Both can assert a powerful impact on a drug's reinforcing effects and, therefore, the degree to which a particular drug comes to be used and abused. This invited review seeks to briefly describe some of the current psychopharmacology research on the interactions between these factors and drug abuse. Several pharmacological influences on drug use will be discussed, including the interactions between psychomotor stimulants and recent advances in the development of pharmacotherapies for opioid abuse. With regard to nonpharmacological factors, there is a large body of research demonstrating that nondrug reinforcers can exert a powerful influence on the reinforcing effects of commonly abused drugs. More specifically, identifying alternative nondrug sources of reinforcement can, if made available contingent on drug abstinence, produce robust decreases in drug self-administration. Presented here is a very brief review of some recent scientific efforts to develop and extend behavioral interventions targeting drug use across a wide range of clinical populations. In summary, understanding the interactions among the variables present in the context of drug use is critical to understanding risk factors for substance use disorders as well as developing efficacious treatments for drug dependence.
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Mendelson JH, Sholar MB, Goletiani N, Siegel AJ, Mello NK. Effects of low- and high-nicotine cigarette smoking on mood states and the HPA axis in men. Neuropsychopharmacology 2005; 30:1751-63. [PMID: 15870834 PMCID: PMC1383570 DOI: 10.1038/sj.npp.1300753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The acute effects of smoking a low- or high-nicotine cigarette on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) hormones, subjective responses, and cardiovascular measures were studied in 20 healthy men who met American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV criteria for nicotine dependence. Within four puffs (or 2 min) after cigarette smoking began, plasma nicotine levels and heart rate increased significantly (P<0.01), and peak ratings of 'high' and 'rush' on a Visual Analogue Scale were reported. Reports of 'high', 'rush', and 'liking' and reduction of 'craving' were significantly greater after smoking a high-nicotine cigarette than a low-nicotine cigarette (P<0.05). Peak plasma nicotine levels after high-nicotine cigarette smoking (23.9+/-2.6 ng/ml) were significantly greater than after low-nicotine cigarette smoking (3.63+/-0.59 ng/ml) (P<0.001). After smoking a low-nicotine cigarette, adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH), cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and epinephrine did not change significantly from baseline. After high-nicotine cigarette smoking began, plasma ACTH levels increased significantly above baseline within 12 min and reached peak levels of 21.88+/-5.34 pmol/l within 20 min. ACTH increases were significantly correlated with increases in plasma nicotine (r=0.85; P<0.0001), DHEA (r=0.66; P=0.002), and epinephrine (r=0.86; P<0.0001). Cortisol and DHEA increased significantly within 20 min (P<0.05) and reached peak levels of 424+/-48 and 21.13+/-2.55 ng/ml within 60 and 30 min, respectively. Thus cigarette smoking produced nicotine dose-related effects on HPA hormones and subjective and cardiovascular measures. These data suggest that activation of the HPA axis may contribute to the abuse-related effects of cigarette smoking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack H Mendelson
- Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Center, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA 02478, USA.
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Penetar DM, Kouri EM, Gross MM, McCarthy EM, Rhee CK, Peters EN, Lukas SE. Transdermal nicotine alters some of marihuana's effects in male and female volunteers. Drug Alcohol Depend 2005; 79:211-23. [PMID: 16002030 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2005.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2004] [Revised: 01/19/2005] [Accepted: 01/27/2005] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Despite the fact that tobacco and marihuana are often used together, relatively little is known about the effects of this combination. In order to investigate the effects of the principal psychoactive component in tobacco smoke, nicotine, on marihuana-induced intoxication, we conducted a double blind, cross-over experiment using nicotine transdermal patches. Ten male and 10 female participants received either placebo or a 21 mg transdermal nicotine patch 4 h before smoking one of two marihuana cigarettes (1.99 or 3.51% delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta(9) THC) content). Measurements of physiological activity (heart rate, blood pressure, and skin temperature) and subjective effects (self-reports of drug effects on visual analog scales (VAS) and the Addiction Research Center Inventory (ARCI)) were made periodically before and for 3h after smoking. Nicotine pre-treatment enhanced several responses to marihuana, in particular, heart rate, reports of "stimulated" on the visual analog scales, and scores on the Amphetamine scale of the ARCI. Male participants reported a more pronounced effect of marihuana that persisted longer than that of the female participants. Compared to the male participants, female participants experienced an attenuated response to marihuana and were less affected by the drug combination. The results of this study show that nicotine can have an important influence on the subjective and physiological effects of smoked marihuana. These effects have implications for the safety and efficacy of marihuana smokers who are self-medicating with the nicotine transdermal patch to manage their tobacco dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Penetar
- Behavioral Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478, USA.
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