Conditioned responses to cocaine-related stimuli in cocaine abuse patients

Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1992;107(4):523-9. doi: 10.1007/BF02245266.

Abstract

Subjects with a history of free-basing and smoking cocaine but no history of opiate injections were exposed to three sets of stimuli. They received cocaine-related stimuli in one session, opiate-related stimuli in a second session, and non-drug stimuli on a third occasion. Compared to the opiate and non-drug cues, the cocaine-related events caused reliable decreases in skin temperature and skin resistance, and reliable increases in heart rate, self-reported cocaine craving, and self-reported cocaine withdrawal. Furthermore, control subjects lacking a history of cocaine or opiate use failed to show such differential responding. These results suggest that cocaine-related stimuli evoke Pavlovian conditioned responses in cocaine abuse patients. Such findings encourage continuing efforts to develop drug treatment strategies based on conditioning principles.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Affect / drug effects
  • Cocaine / pharmacology*
  • Conditioning, Classical / drug effects*
  • Cues
  • Galvanic Skin Response / drug effects
  • Heart Rate / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / physiopathology
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / psychology
  • Skin Temperature / drug effects
  • Substance-Related Disorders / physiopathology
  • Substance-Related Disorders / psychology*

Substances

  • Cocaine