Medication For Multiple Sclerosis May Help In Treating Cocaine Addiction

ScienceDaily (May 4, 2004)

Results of a NIDA-funded study show that a combination of substance abuse counseling and baclofen--a medication often used to treat muscle spasms in people with multiple sclerosis--can reduce cocaine use.

The study involved 70 people who participated in a 16-week treatment program for cocaine addiction. Thirty-five received counseling and baclofen, and 35 received counseling and a placebo. Cocaine use was monitored by thriceweekly urine tests.

Analyses showed that people who received the counseling/baclofen combination had lower levels of drug use during the treatment period than the individuals in the counseling/placebo group, as indicated by urine testing. The response was most apparent among people who were chronic, heavy users of crack cocaine.

The researchers say baclofen may help by inhibiting the release of the brain chemical dopamine, thus reducing the desire for cocaine.

WHAT IT MEANS: The combined effect of drug abuse counseling and a medication that targets dopamine release in the brain may offer hope to the many people struggling with cocaine dependence. There are currently no Food and Drug Administration-approved medications to treat cocaine addiction.

Dr. Steven Shoptaw and his colleagues at the University of California–Los Angeles published these results in the December 15, 2003 issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Adapted from materials provided by NIH/National Institute On Drug Abuse.

New Study Suggests Methamphetamine Withdrawal Is Associated With Brain Changes Similar To Those Seen In Depression And Anxiety

ScienceDaily (Jan. 6, 2004) — Results of a new study indicate that people who have recently stopped abusing the powerfully addictive drug methamphetamine may have brain abnormalities similar to those seen in people with mood disorders. The findings suggest practitioners could improve success rates for methamphetamine users receiving addiction treatment by also providing therapy for depression and anxiety in appropriate individuals. The study is published in the January 2004 issue of the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.

“Methamphetamine abuse is a grave problem that can lead to serious health conditions including brain damage, memory loss, psychotic-like behavior, heart damage, hepatitis, and HIV transmission,” says Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health, which funded the study. “Currently, no medication exists to treat abuse or addiction to amphetamines or amphetamine-like compounds; however, drug counselors and other health professionals have successfully used behavioral interventions to treat addiction. Treatment outcomes may improve if associated mental conditions are addressed concurrently with addiction.”

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