Abstract
The relationship between the subjective effects induced by IV cocaine injection(s) and cocaine plasma concentrations is complex and difficult to interpret. We designed a study in which bolus loading doses of cocaine followed by 4-hr placebo infusions were compared with the same bolus loading doses of cocaine followed by 4-hr infusions of cocaine calculated to maintain the peak plasma concentrations produced by the bolus. Seven cocaine-using volunteers were successfully studied using a randomized double-blind design, in which self- and observer-rating scales were used to measure drug effects. After the cocaine bolus loading doses, scores for most subjective measures remained elevated when the bolus was followed by a cocaine infusion. In contrast, the subjective responses returned to baseline when the bolus was followed by a placebo infusion. However, self-estimates of the intensity of the cocaine "rush" were not altered by the presence of active cocaine infusions and returned rapidly to baseline.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 443-452 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior |
Volume | 33 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 1989 |
Keywords
- Cocaine
- Continuous infusions
- Human subjective effects
- Rush
- Tolerance
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry
- Toxicology
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Biochemistry
- Biological Psychiatry
- Behavioral Neuroscience