Effects of isradipine, a dihydropyridine-class calcium-channel antagonist, on d-methamphetamine's subjective and reinforcing effects

Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2005 Jun;8(2):203-13. doi: 10.1017/S1461145704005036.

Abstract

In healthy human volunteers, we have previously shown that isradipine, a dihydropyridine-class calcium-channel antagonist, reduces some methamphetamine-induced positive subjective effects associated with its abuse liability, presumably by antagonizing cortico-mesolimbic dopamine pathways. In the present study, we combined acute immediate-release (IR) isradipine with repeated sustained-release (SR) isradipine pretreatment to determine whether isradipine could antagonize methamphetamine's positive subjective and reinforcing effects in methamphetamine-dependent research subjects. We included 18 non-treatment-seeking, methamphetamine-dependent subjects aged between 18 and 51 years in this double-blind, within-subject, cross-over study, which was done in a human laboratory. Intravenous methamphetamine (0, 15 and 30 mg) was administered on three different days after 5 days of double-blind cross-over treatment with either isradipine or matching placebo. Subjects received oral isradipine 30 mg SR at bedtime, plus 15 mg IR administered 2 h before methamphetamine infusion. Self-report questionnaires measured drug liking, euphoria, craving, stimulation, and methamphetamine preference. Methamphetamine reinforcement was measured by a behavioural procedure involving choices between methamphetamine and money. For those who received isradipine second and placebo first as the pretreatment paradigm but not vice versa, methamphetamine-induced drug liking, elation, and preference were reduced significantly by isradipine. Depending upon conditioning status, isradipine can reduce some methamphetamine-induced positive subjective and reinforcing effects associated with its abuse liability in methamphetamine addicts.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Amphetamine-Related Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Amphetamine-Related Disorders / physiopathology
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Area Under Curve
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / therapeutic use*
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Drug Administration Routes
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Isradipine / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Reinforcement, Psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Isradipine