Relationship of prolactin response to meta-chlorophenylpiperazine with severity of drug use in cocaine dependence.
BACKGROUND
Serotonergic (5-HT) mechanisms appear to mediate central effects of cocaine. Therefore 5-HT disturbances could be associated with drug severity.


OBJECTIVE
We investigated whether prolactin (PRL) response to meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP), a mixed 5-HT agonist/antagonist were associated with severity of cocaine use.


METHODS
Thirty-six cocaine-dependent subjects and 33 controls underwent a challenge with 0.5 mg/kg of oral m-CPP. Severity of drug use was assessed using the Addiction Severity Index (ASI).


RESULTS
The PRL response to m-CPP was significantly blunted in cocaine patients compared to controls (F = 21.86, p < 0.001). DeltaPRL (peak PRL-baseline PRL) was negatively correlated with ASI-drug (r = -0.45, p < 0.01), ASI-alcohol (r = -0.32, p < 0.05), and ASI-psychological (r = -0.41, p < 0.01) composite scores, and with the quantity, frequency and duration of drug use (r ranged from - 0.41 to - 0.32, p ranged from < 0.01 to 0.05). Hierarchical regressions showed that ASI-drug composite scores significantly predicted the variance in DeltaPRL after controlling for behavioral and demographic variables (F = 4.27, p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that disturbances in 5-HT function as reflected by a blunted response to m-CPP seem to be primarily associated with severity of drug use and to a lesser, although significant extent with behavioral traits in cocaine-dependent patients.
Patkar
Ashwin A
AA
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA. Ashwin.Patkar@duke.edu
Mannelli
Paolo
P
Hill
Kevin P
KP
Peindl
Kathleen
K
Pae
Chi-Un
CU
Lee
Tong H
TH
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001519:Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D015415:Biomarkers; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D010879:Piperazines; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D012701:Serotonin; D011388:Prolactin; D003042:Cocaine; C015068:1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine