Establishment of a diazepam preference in human volunteers following a differential-conditioning history of placebo versus diazepam choice.
This study examined whether preference for a drug (diazepam or placebo) could be switched using conditioning procedures. During the first 4 sessions of Phase 1, 6 participants received 5 mg of diazepam or placebo under double-blind conditions. During the remaining 5 sessions of Phase 1, participants selected the drug they wished to receive. The first 4 sessions of Phase 2 were a replication of Phase 1, except that following ingestion of the drug, participants completed a computer task for which they could earn money. Payment for the computer task was lowest following ingestion of the drug they preferred in Phase I and highest following the drug they had avoided. Preference was reassessed during the last 5 sessions of Phase 2. Five of the participants preferred placebo in Phase 1 but diazepam in Phase 2. Subjective responses to the drugs also changed across the 2 phases.
Alessi
Sheila M
SM
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, USA.
Roll
John M
JM
Reilly
Mark P
MP
Johanson
Chris-Ellyn
CE
D000328:Adult; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D012201:Reward
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D003975:Diazepam