The Potential of Oxytocin to Reduce Opioid Abuse Liability and Pain Among Older Adults

The overall project goals are to determine oxytocin effects on oxycodone's subject-rated abuse liability, and experimental pain. Generally healthy individuals (determined via medical history review and a screening session) will, after informed consent, self-administer intranasal oxytocin (or placebo, containing the same ingredients but no oxytocin) shortly after oral oxycodone or placebo in a non-residential, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, within-subjects laboratory study. Prescreening will assure drug application safety and, using a validated, comprehensive pain history interview, determine previous or existing chronic pain conditions, including current pain medication use.

Inclusion criteria

• Individuals fluent in English will participate.
• Must report some experience with opioids (e.g., oxycodone, defined as use at least once in the subject's lifetime).
• Be within 20% of their ideal body weight.
• Are not currently experiencing chronic pain (pain on most days during the past 3 months)
• Have a systolic blood pressure of <=140 and diastolic blood pressure of <= 90, and a heart rate <= 90 beats per minute.
• Participants must also have a normal electrocardiogram (EKG) reading and bloodwork indicating no major health contraindications.

Exclusion criteria

• Significant current physical disease or major (uncontrolled) psychiatric disorder.
• No self-reported current interest in drug abuse treatment.
• Women who are pregnant or nursing.
• Any severe comorbid illicit substance use disorders or current clinically significant withdrawal for any abused drug excluding nicotine and caffeine.