Abstract
Aims: The aim of this experiment was to determine the influence of acute bupropion pretreatment on subject-rated effects and choice of intranasal cocaine versus money. Design: A randomized, within-subject, placebo-controlled, double-blind experiment. Setting: An outpatient research unit. Participants: Eight cocaine-using adults. Measurements: Subjects completed 9 experimental sessions in which they were pretreated with 0, 100 or 200 mg oral immediate release bupropion. Ninety min later they sampled an intranasal cocaine dose (4 [placebo], 15 or 45 mg) and made 6 choices between that dose and an alternative reinforcer (US $0.25), available on independent, concurrent progressive ratio schedules. Subjects also completed a battery of subject-rated, performance and physiological measures following the sample doses of cocaine. Findings: After 0 mg bupropion, the high dose of cocaine (45 mg) was chosen 5 of 6 times on average compared to 2.25 of 6 choices for placebo cocaine (4 mg) (p < 0.05). Active bupropion reduced choice of 45 mg cocaine to 3.13 (100 mg) or 4.00 (200 mg) out of 6 drug choices on average. Bupropion also consistently enhanced positive subject-rated effects of cocaine (e.g. Good Effects; Willing to Take Again) while having no effects of its own. Conclusions: The atypical anti-depressant, bupropion, acutely appears to reduce preference for intranasal cocaine versus a small amount of money but to increase reported positive experiences of the drug.
