Gabapentin maintenance decreases smoked cocaine-related subjective effects, but not self-administration by humans.
Data from research with laboratory animals indicate that cocaine self-administration can be reduced by lambda-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonists. Yet, the effectiveness of GABA agonists to decrease human cocaine self-administration has not been investigated under controlled laboratory conditions. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of gabapentin, a GABA agonist, on cocaine-related behaviors, including self-administration, in human research participants under controlled laboratory conditions. During this 48-day double-blind, crossover design study, the effects of gabapentin (0, 600, and 1200 mg/d) maintenance on response to cocaine (0, 12, 25, and 50 mg) were investigated in seven cocaine abusers. Active cocaine significantly increased choice to self-administer cocaine, subjective-effect ratings (e.g., "Good Drug Effect"), blood pressure and heart rate (HR). Gabapentin did not reduce cocaine choice or cardiovascular measures, but it did decrease some subjective effects of cocaine (e.g., "Good Drug Effect" and "Anxious"). These data suggest that the cocaine-gabapentin combination was well-tolerated, and because some cocaine-related subjective effects were reduced by maintenance on relatively low gabapentin doses, future studies should test higher gabapentin doses.
Hart
Carl L
CL
Division on Substance Abuse, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Dr, Unit 120, New York, NY 10032, USA. clh42@columbia.edu
Ward
Amie S
AS
Collins
Eric D
ED
Haney
Margaret
M
Foltin
Richard W
RW
D000085:Acetates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000588:Amines; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D018755:GABA Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012646:Self Administration; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
D000085:Acetates; D000588:Amines; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D018755:GABA Agonists; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin; D003042:Cocaine