Dopaminergic responsivity during cocaine abstinence: a pilot study.
This preliminary study investigated dopamine (DA) function in six hospitalized cocaine-dependent subjects (DSM-III-R) who received 1.5 mg/kg of active cocaine by mouth, t.i.d., for 3 days followed by 9 days of placebo cocaine. During early and late abstinence from cocaine, plasma growth hormone (GH), homovanillic acid (HVA), prolactin, and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenethyleneglycol responses to the placebo-controlled administration of oral L-dopa 250 mg/carbidopa 25 mg (Sinemet) were measured. Sinemet caused significantly greater placebo-corrected increases in GH and HVA during early as compared with late abstinence. Acute abstinence from cocaine may be associated with increased DA responsivity, which normalizes over time.
McDougle
C J
CJ
Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
Price
L H
LH
Palumbo
J M
JM
Kosten
T R
TR
Heninger
G R
GR
Kleber
H D
HD
D000328:Adult; D002230:Carbidopa; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015259:Dopamine Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000378:metabolism*
D015259:Dopamine Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; C009265:carbidopa, levodopa drug combination; D007980:Levodopa; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D003042:Cocaine; D002230:Carbidopa; D006719:Homovanillic Acid