Smoked cocaine self-administration in females.
Although approximately 32% of all smoked cocaine ("crack") users are women, most studies investigating cocaine use have recruited only male subjects. Therefore, this study examined the smoked cocaine self-administration patterns of female crack abusers. A work requirement, where up to five tokens were earned by subjects, was followed by the administration of a sample delivery of one of three dose sizes [5.0 mg (placebo), 0.2 mg/kg, 0.4 mg/kg] of cocaine. The three dose sizes of cocaine were administered in counterbalanced order across subjects, with each subject receiving one dose size within a session and all dose sizes across the three experimental sessions. A self-administration phase followed the sample delivery, during which a token could be exchanged every 30 min for monetary reimbursement or a delivery of cocaine in the same dose size as the sample delivery. The results show that females' patterns of behavioral and subjective responding to smoked cocaine exhibit clear dose-related effects, thus affirming this self-administration model as safe and appropriate for use with women.
Dudish
S A
SA
Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA.
Pentel
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PR
Hatsukami
D K
DK
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003042:Cocaine / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D012646:Self Administration; D013997:Time Factors
D003042:Cocaine