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Influence of acute bupropion pre‐treatment on the effects of intranasal cocaine
Author(s) -
Stoops William W.,
Lile Joshua A.,
Glaser Paul E. A.,
Hays Lon R.,
Rush Craig R.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0965-2140
DOI - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03766.x
Subject(s) - bupropion , placebo , anesthesia , medicine , nasal administration , cocaine dependence , psychology , pharmacology , addiction , psychiatry , smoking cessation , alternative medicine , pathology
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 200 mg oral immediate release bupropion. Ninety minutes later they sampled an intranasal cocaine dose [4 (placebo), 15 or 45 mg] 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 0 mg bupropion, the high dose of cocaine (45 mg) was chosen five of six times on average compared to 2.25 of six choices for placebo cocaine (4 mg) ( P < 0.05). Active bupropion reduced choice of 45 mg cocaine to 3.13 (100 mg) or 4.00 (200 mg) 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.