Cocaine-induced reduction of glucose utilization in human brain. A study using positron emission tomography and [fluorine 18]-fluorodeoxyglucose.
We examined the effects of cocaine hydrochloride (40 mg intravenously) on regional cerebral metabolic rates for glucose and on subjective self-reports of eight polydrug abusers in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. The regional cerebral metabolic rate for glucose was measured by the [fluorine 18]-fluorodeoxyglucose method, using positron emission tomography. With eyes covered, subjects listened to a tape that presented white noise, "beep" prompts, and questions about subjective effects of cocaine or saline. Cocaine produced euphoria and reduced glucose utilization globally (mean reduction, 14%). Twenty-six of 29 brain regions (all neocortical areas, basal ganglia, portions of the hippocampal formation, thalamus, and midbrain) showed significant decrements (5% to 26%) in the regional cerebral metabolic rate for glucose. No significant effects of cocaine were observed in the pons, the cerebellar cortex, or the vermis. Right-greater-than-left hemispheric asymmetry of regional cerebral metabolic rates for glucose occurred in the lateral thalamus. The findings demonstrate that reduced cerebral metabolism is associated with cocaine-induced euphoria.
London
E D
ED
Addiction Research Center, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Md.
Cascella
N G
NG
Wong
D F
DF
Phillips
R L
RL
Dannals
R F
RF
Links
J M
JM
Herning
R
R
Grayson
R
R
Jaffe
J H
JH
Wagner
H N
HN
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003847:Deoxyglucose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005059:Euphoria; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010919:Placebos; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
D010919:Placebos; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D003847:Deoxyglucose; D003042:Cocaine; D005947:Glucose