Cocaine Self-Administration Research

Publisher Summary Although cocaine abuse is a serious public health problem for over a decade, a generally effective approach for treating it has not yet been developed. Neurobiological research offers information about the brain regions and neurotransmitter systems and the kinds of medications that might be efficacious in treating cocaine abusers. This chapter elucidates that the research in which drugs, such as cocaine are made available to humans requires considerable care and thoughtful design for a number of reasons. It reiterates that research volunteers who are not receiving treatment should be adequately, but not excessively compensated for their time. There is no procedure currently available in which data collected in the laboratory can directly predict clinical efficacy in treating cocaine abuse. Medications can modify cocaine use in a number of different ways, such as by decreasing craving, initiating abstinence, decreasing the positive effects of the drug, substituting for cocaine, or blocking cocaine's effects. This chapter also emphasizes that maintenance on desipramine is not effective in reducing the amount of cocaine intake.