Journal
DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE
Volume 106, Issue 1, Pages 21-27Publisher
ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2009.07.016
Keywords
Stress; Craving; Cocaine; ACTH; Cortisol; Stress reactivity
Categories
Funding
- NIDA [P50 AR049551, K25 DA00435, K23 DA021228]
- NIH [5 M01 RR001070]
- NATIONAL CENTER FOR RESEARCH RESOURCES [M01RR001070, UL1RR029882] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
- NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE [K24DA000435, K23DA021228, P50DA016511] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Background: Cocaine dependence is a chronic relapsing disorder characterized by periods of abstinence and high rates of return to drug using behavior. Elevated levels of stress have been associated with relapse to cocaine; however, the nature of this association is not well understood. Methods: The relationship between reactivity to three human laboratory provocations and relapse to cocaine was investigated. Participants were 53 cocaine-dependent individuals who were admitted for a 2-day inpatient stay during which a psychosocial provocation (i.e., the Trier Social Stress Task), a pharmacological provocation (i.e., administration of 1 mu g/kg corticotrophin releasing hormone; CRH), and a drug cue exposure paradigm were completed. Adrenocortico-trophic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, heart rate, and subjective cocaine craving and stress were assessed at baseline and at multiple time points post-task. Participants' cocaine use was monitored for approximately I month following testing. Results: The majority (72.3%) of participants relapsed to cocaine during the follow-up period. in response to the CRH and drug cue exposure, elevated subjective craving and stress were significant predictors of cocaine use during follow-up. In response to the Trier, attenuated neuroendocrine responses were significant predictors of cocaine use. Conclusions: The findings provide further evidence of the ability of laboratory paradigms to predict relapse. The observed associations between stress reactivity and subsequent cocaine use highlight the clinical importance of the findings. Predictors of relapse may vary based on the type of provocation utilized. Interventions aimed at normalizing stress response, as measured using laboratory paradigms, may prove useful in relapse prevention. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available