Effect of Sub-chronic Hydrocortisone on Responses to Amphetamine in Normal Male Volunteers

Overview

Journal Psychopharmacology (Berl)

Specialty Pharmacology

Date 2003 Sep 25

PMID 14504680

Citations 1

Authors

Andrea J Hearn

Peter Gallagher

Bruce M Owen

Margaret S Smith

Stuart Watson

Allan H Young

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Rationale: Enhancement of dopamine (DA) release by corticosteroids may be of aetiological importance in substance misuse.

Objectives: To examine the effect of sub-chronic administration of hydrocortisone on the response to amphetamine in healthy male volunteers.

Methods: Following baseline assessment, 20 volunteers were pretreated for 7 days with 20 mg of hydrocortisone or placebo at 0800 hours and 2000 hours in a double-blind, random order, cross-over design prior to receiving 0.15 mg/kg metamphetamine intravenously. Blood samples for cortisol and prolactin were taken every 15 min. Subjects also underwent tests of neuropsychological function including sustained attention using the rapid visual information processing test (RVIP), which has been shown to be sensitive to changes in DA function.

Results: Metamphetamine produced a substantial reduction in prolactin levels, and increased subjective mood ratings of "mind-race" and "buzz". Sub-chronic hydrocortisone administration had no effect on these neuroendocrine responses, subjective mood changes or neurocognitive performance on a task of sustained attention (RVIP).

Conclusions: Despite measurable changes in neuroendocrine and affective functioning in response to metamphetamine, pretreatment with hydrocortisone did not significantly affect any of the variables measured. This suggests that this model of DA function is not affected by this regimen of corticosteroid administration.

Citing Articles

Corticosteroid-serotonin interactions in depression: a review of the human evidence.

Porter R, Gallagher P, Watson S, Young A Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2004; 173(1-2):1-17.

PMID: 15007595 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-004-1774-1.

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