In summary, this pilot study will explore the use of an innovative pharmacologic approach to the treatment of substance dependence through the facilitation of extinction of response to cocaine-conditioned cues in cocaine-dependent individuals. If DCS proves successful in this preliminary study, a controlled treatment trial will be planned. This novel approach could have implications for the treatment of multiple substance use disorders including methamphetamine, marijuana and opiate dependence.
Primary Outcome Measures:
- Subjective craving of cocaine [ Time Frame: ~two weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Physiological assessments (heart rate, skin conductance) [ Time Frame: ~ two weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Enrollment: |
28 |
Study Start Date: |
September 2006 |
Study Completion Date: |
July 2008 |
Primary Completion Date: |
July 2008 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure) |
DCS: Experimental
|
Drug: d-cycloserine
50 mg DCS or placebo
|
Placebo: Placebo Comparator
|
Drug: d-cycloserine
50 mg DCS or placebo
|
Cocaine dependence remains a serious problem in the US today and in spite of two decades of intense research, efficacious pharmacotherapeutic treatments have not been identified. Cocaine-associated environmental cues can elicit drug craving and exposure to cocaine-related cues is likely to be involved in relapse. Emerging data supports the role of glutamate in extinction of associative learning in animal models of rear-conditioning and clinical studies of exposure treatment for anxiety disorders. A recent study demonstrated DCS acceleration of cocaine-induced conditioned place preference in rats (Botreau et al., 2006). Exploration of DCS in facilitating extinction of response to drug-related cues in humans is needed. The proposed study will extend these innovative and promising findings from the basic science arena and anxiety disorders field in a proof of concept investigation of DCS facilitation of extinction of response to cocaine-related cues in a human laboratory paradigm.