Effects of isradipine on cocaine-induced changes in cognitive performance in recently abstinent cocaine-dependent individuals.
Recently abstinent cocaine-dependent individuals, compared with healthy controls, appear more likely to exhibit deficits in cognitive performance and attention. Individuals with such cognitive deficits might be less able to avail themselves of rehabilitative or relapse-prevention efforts. Pharmacotherapy that reduces the impairment in cognitive performance among cocaine-dependent individuals would be a useful clinical tool. Preclinical and human studies suggest that the dihydropyridine-class calcium-channel antagonist, isradipine, can enhance neurocognitive function in some neuropsychiatric disorders. Isradipine, presumably by increasing cerebral blood flow and its actions at various neurotransmitter systems, might, therefore, ameliorate the impairment in cognitive performance and attention seen in cocaine addicts and enhance the expected modest improvement in performance during acute cocaine-taking in these same individuals. Among 12 male and female cocaine-dependent individuals, we examined the effects of low and high doses of intravenous cocaine (0, 0.325, and 0.650 mg/kg) on cognitive performance and attention in both the presence and absence of isradipine (0 or 30 mg sustained release each evening prior to testing, plus 0 or 15 mg immediate release each morning 2 h before the cocaine or placebo cocaine infusion and on the day of testing). Intravenous cocaine produced a modest increase in cognitive performance and attention. Isradipine, both with and without cocaine, had no effect on these same parameters. Hence, cocaine-taking by cocaine-dependent individuals produces little improvement in cognitive performance and attention in either the presence or absence of isradipine.
Johnson
Bankole A
BA
Department of Psychiatric Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908-0623, USA. bankolejohnson@virginia.edu
Roache
John D
JD
Ait-Daoud
Nassima
N
Wallace
Christopher L
CL
Wells
Lynda T
LT
Wang
Yanmei
Y
Dawes
Michael A
MA
D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D017275:Isradipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D003042:Cocaine; D017275:Isradipine