title: Naltrexone moderates the relationship between cue-induced craving and subjective response to methamphetamine in individuals with methamphetamine use disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reductions in cue-induced craving and subjective response to drugs of abuse are commonly used as initial outcome measures when testing novel medications for the treatment of addiction. Yet neither the relationship between these two measures at the individual level nor the moderating effects of pharmacotherapies on this relationship has been examined.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This secondary data analysis sought to examine (1) the predictive relationship between cue-induced craving and subsequent acute subjective response to methamphetamine (MA) and (2) whether the opioid-receptor antagonist naltrexone moderated this association in a sample of non-treatment-seeking individuals who met DSM-IV criteria for MA use disorder (abuse or dependence).
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (n = 30) completed two 4-day medication regimens (oral naltrexone 50 mg or placebo, in a randomized, counterbalanced, and double-blind fashion). On day 4 of each medication regimen, participants completed a cue-reactivity paradigm followed by intravenous MA administration. Methamphetamine craving was assessed after the cue-reactivity paradigm, and subjective response to MA was assessed during MA infusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cue-induced craving for MA was positively associated with post-infusion subjective MA effects, including positive (i.e., stimulation, good effects, feel drug, high), negative (i.e., anxious and depressed), and craving-related (i.e., want more, would like access to drug, crave) responses. Naltrexone, vs. placebo, significantly reduced the association between cue-induced craving and positive subjective response to MA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings indicate that naltrexone moderates the predictive relationship between cue-induced craving and positive subjective effects of MA, thereby suggesting a behavioral mechanism by which naltrexone may be efficacious in treating MA use disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1563, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel J O
authors.initials: DJO
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Worley
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Kelly E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Courtney
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1563, USA.
authors.forename: Spencer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bujarski
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.|Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Edythe D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: London
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shoptaw
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1563, USA. lararay@psych.ucla.edu.|Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. lararay@psych.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: Lara A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ray
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects*; D066249:Craving / Q000187:drug effects*; D003463:Cues; D003625:Data Collection; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004644:Emotions / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D008694:Methamphetamine; D009271:Naltrexone
keywords: Craving; Methamphetamine; Naltrexone; Subjective response