Acquisition of Responses to a Methamphetamine-associated Cue in Healthy Humans

The aim of the study is to extend our investigations of drug-associated conditioning with healthy volunteers. The investigators have recently completed a pilot study demonstrating that subjects show an increase in self-reported preference for a visual stimulus paired with stimulant drug administration. Furthermore, our pilot data suggest that methamphetamine acts synergistically with rewards in the environment, such that this conditioning effect is facilitated by experiencing the drug in the presence of rewarding, or positive events, such as earning money. The investigators now aim to extend these findings by assessing not only self-reported preference, but also attentional and psychophysiological (electromyogram; EMG) responses to the drug-associated stimuli.

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Key information

Conditions

Substance Abuse Chemically-Induced Disorders Mental Disorders Substance-Related Disorders

Age range

21 year–35 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

About this study

The study will consist of an orientation session following by 6 experimental study sessions. The first experimental session will consist of a "Pre-test", where baseline data regarding attentional, psychophysiological, and self-reported responses tovarious stimuli will be collected. The following 4 sessions will consist of a drug (sedative or stimulant) or placebo. During these sessions, subjects will play simple computer games, as well as complete questionnaires regarding mood and potential subjective drug effects. The subjects will then complete a "Test" session, where attentional, psychophysiological, and self-reported responses to the stimuli will be assessed, as in the first experimental session.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

BMI of 19-26kg/m, high school education,
fluency in English,
resting blood pressure less than140/90mmHg and consumption of less than 4 standard alcohol or caffeinated drinks per day.

Exclusion criteria

current substance abuse or lifetime substance dependence,
regular medication,
history of cardiovascular illness,
current major Axis I DSM-IV disorder (APA, 2004),
mood disorder or psychotic symptoms within the past year.
Shift workers and pregnant or nursing mothers will also be excluded.

Treatment and study plan

Methamphetamine

Drug

: Twenty milligrams of MA (Desoxyn; Lundbeck Inc) tablets will be crushed and placed in 10 ml of Ora-Sweet syrup. Placebo drinks will consist of 10 ml of Ora-Sweet alone.

Other names: desoxyn

Placebo

Drug

Placebo (sugar pill)

Other names: dextrose

Primary outcomes

Subjective Effects as Assessed by Score on "Feel Drug", "Feel High", "Like Drug", and "Want More" Subscales of the Drug Effects Questionnaire

Time frame: End of study (time 0 and approximately 4 weeks later)

The Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ) is a visual analog scale questionnaire that assesses the extent to which subjects experience four subjective states: "Feel Drug", "Feel High", "Like Drug", and "Want More". The "Feel Drug", "Feel High", "Like Drug", and "Want More" subscales are reported. All subscales are scored on a visual analogue scale (scroll bar on computer screen) ranging from 0-100. 100 represents the highest score for that subjective state, and the higher the score, the worse the outcome.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Chicago

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Acquisition of Responses to a Methamphetamine-associated Cue in Healthy Humans: Self-report, Behavioral, and Psychophysiological Measures.

Acronym: CAM

Important dates

Study start: 2014
Primary completion: 2014
Study completion: 2014
First posted: Dec 23, 2014
Registry last updated: Jul 26, 2018

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed