Impulsivity and Stimulant Administration

Examine the interaction between stimulants, such as cocaine and methylphenidate, and impulsivity.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Cocaine Dependence; Impulsivity
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: methylphenidate; Drug: cocaine hydrochloride

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 29
• Phase: Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Connecticut
    • New Haven, Connecticut, United States, 06519
      • Connecticut Mental Health Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 50 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. age 18 - 50 years,
2. voluntary, written, informed consent,
3. physically healthy by medical history, physical, neurological, ECG, and laboratory examinations,
4. DSM-IV criteria for Cocaine Abuse (305.60) or Cocaine Dependence (304.20)
5. recent street cocaine use in excess of amounts to be administered in the current study,
6. intravenous and/or smoked (crack/ freebase) use,
7. positive urine toxicology screen for cocaine,
8. for females, non-lactating, no longer of child-bearing potential (or agree to practice effective contraception during the study), and a negative serum pregnancy (β-HCG) test.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Other drug dependence (except nicotine) as determined by urine toxicology or interview
2. < 1 year of cocaine dependence,
3. a primary major DSM-IV psychiatric diagnosis (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc.), unrelated to cocaine,
4. a history of significant medical (cardiovascular) or neurological illness, ie prior myocardial infarction, current active symptoms of cardiovascular disease / angina, evidence of cocaine-related cardiovascular symptoms, prior arrhythmias or need for cardiovascular resuscitation, neurovascular events such as transient ischemic attacks, stroke, and/or seizures Parameters re: elevations in vital signs are now explicitly specified under "Safety features built into our one-day self-administration paradigm).
5. current use of psychotropic and/or potentially psychoactive prescription medication,
6. seeking treatment for drug abuse/dependence (for experimental cocaine component),
7. physical or laboratory (β-HCG) evidence of pregnancy.
8. current use of any medication (prescription or over-the-counter) determined to cause potential drug interactions by the study physicians.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Factorial Assignment
• Masking: Quadruple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Stimulant; Cocaine and Methylphenidate	Drug: methylphenidate; Drug: cocaine hydrochloride
Placebo Comparator: Placebo; methylphenidate	Drug: methylphenidate

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Mean cocaine inter-infusion interval	Subjects complete three separate 60 minute long "binge" cocaine self administration sessions (low dose 8mg/70kg, medium dose 16mg/70kg, and large dose 32mg/70kg). Mean inter-infusion intervals (time between cocaine boluses) are then averaged by adding all intervals within each session and dividing by 60. Intervals during which pump access is withheld (due to increase in vital signs) will be excluded. Data on cocaine self-administration (total number of responses, infusions, and III), subjective effects, and vital signs will be checked for normality prior to analysis using Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistics and normal probability plots. The significance level for all statistical tests will be set at p<.05.	3 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Stop Signal Reaction Time (Impulsivity)	The Dependent measures pertinent to the effects of an acute/chronic exposure to stimulants (methylphenidate/cocaine) on measures of impulsivity will be analyzed using a mixed design ANOVA. This design will have a within subjects variable to study the effects of an acute exposure to stimulants (methylphenidate vs. placebo) and a between subjects variable to study the effects of a chronic exposure to stimulants (cocaine dependent subjects vs. healthy controls).	5 years
Inter-Temporal Choice (Impulsivity)	The Dependent measures pertinent to the effects of an acute/chronic exposure to stimulants (methylphenidate/cocaine) on measures of impulsivity will be analyzed using a mixed design ANOVA. This design will have a within subjects variable to study the effects of an acute exposure to stimulants (methylphenidate vs. placebo) and a between subjects variable to study the effects of a chronic exposure to stimulants (cocaine dependent subjects vs. healthy controls).	5 years

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Yale University
• Collaborators: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 1, 2014
• Study Completion (Actual): May 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 17, 2013
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 31, 2013
• First Posted (Estimate): November 7, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): February 16, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 14, 2023
• Last Verified: February 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Chemically-Induced Disorders; Substance-Related Disorders; Cocaine-Related Disorders; Impulsive Behavior; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Neurotransmitter Agents; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Central Nervous System Depressants; Peripheral Nervous System Agents; Sensory System Agents; Anesthetics; Neurotransmitter Uptake Inhibitors; Membrane Transport Modulators; Dopamine Agents; Anesthetics, Local; Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; Central Nervous System Stimulants; Vasoconstrictor Agents; Methylphenidate; Cocaine
• Other Study ID Numbers: 1001006250; R25MH071584 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)