title: Relationship between platelet serotonin uptake sites and treatment outcome among African-American cocaine dependent individuals.
abstract: We investigated whether platelet tritiated paroxetine binding, a measure of serotonin uptake sites differed between cocaine-dependent subjects and controls, and whether paroxetine binding was related to treatment-outcome for cocaine patients. One hundred twenty-five African-American cocaine-dependent individuals receiving outpatient treatment and 44 controls were studied. Tritiated paroxetine binding sites on platelets were assayed and standardized assessments of behavior were performed. The outcome measures were number of negative urine drug screens, days in treatment, dropout rates and number of treatment sessions attended. Cocaine patients had significantly lower Bmax values of paroxetine binding compared to controls. Furthermore, Bmax values showed a significant positive correlation with days in treatment and negative urines. A combination of Bmax and Addiction Severity Index (ASI) employment scores improved the prediction of days in treatment and a combination of Bmax and ASI drug scores enhanced the prediction of negative urines. The findings indicate that serotonergic mechanisms may be involved in cocaine dependence and may influence treatment-outcome among cocaine patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA. ashwin.patkar@mail.tju.edu
authors.forename: Ashwin A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Patkar
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gottheil
authors.forename: Wade H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Berrettini
authors.forename: Charles C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.forename: Kevin P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Stephen P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Weinstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044383:Black People; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000032:analysis*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D001741:Black or African American
chemical_list: D017374:Paroxetine; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors