Behavioral and Physiological Effects of Marijuana on Smoked Cocaine

描述(由申请者提供)：在KO1指导研究科学家发展奖的申请中，Ziva Cooper博士提出了一项综合计划，将成为人类行为药理学领域的独立研究人员的培训计划与她对研究多物质滥用的人体实验室模型的兴趣相结合。物质很少被单独滥用，因此，确定生理和行为影响，以及在良好控制的条件下单独和同时使用滥用药物所带来的健康风险，是推进药物滥用治疗领域的必要的初步步骤。在依赖可卡因的人群中，滥用大麻的现象很普遍。虽然已经有大量研究推动了可卡因和大麻依赖的独立治疗，但还没有研究这两种物质依赖的潜在治疗方法。了解大麻和可卡因之间相互作用的确切性质是制定针对其共同滥用的药物治疗策略的重要第一步。拟议研究的研究目的是首先确定实验者服用大麻和烟熏可卡因的行为和生理影响，这些影响导致滥用倾向和与药物组合相关的健康风险。接下来，将使用人体实验室复发模型来确定大麻对吸食可卡因自我管理的复发的影响。库珀博士的培训目标是1)获得在人体实验室进行精神活性物质研究的方法学、安全性和伦理学方面的更全面的知识；2)获得关于实验者和人体实验室中自行给药的大麻和吸烟的可卡因的研究的方法学和数据分析方面的专业知识3)研究人类实验室研究的当代统计方法4)提高手稿和拨款撰写的熟练程度。总体而言，这一奖项将确保库珀博士成功地过渡到物质使用障碍的人类行为药理学领域的独立研究员。 公共卫生相关性：尽管多物质滥用在吸毒人群中普遍存在，但人们对与流行药物组合相关的滥用风险增加和健康风险知之甚少。在依赖可卡因的人群中依赖和滥用大麻是一个众所周知的现象，但还没有研究调查大麻对复吸可卡因的影响。这些研究将通过确定与可卡因一起吸烟的大麻的行为和生理影响，填补治疗药物使用障碍药物开发的一个关键空白。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In this application for a KO1 Mentored Research Scientist Development Award, Dr. Ziva Cooper has proposed a comprehensive plan to integrate a training plan towards becoming an independent researcher in the field of human behavioral pharmacology with her interest in investigating human laboratory models of polysubstance abuse. Substances are rarely abused independently, thus, determining the physiological and behavioral effects, and the health risks associated with abused drugs administered independently and simultaneously under well-controlled conditions is an imperative preliminary step to advance the area of substance-abuse treatment. Abuse of marijuana among the cocaine-dependent population is widespread. Although there has been a great deal of research advancing the treatment of cocaine and marijuana dependence independently, there have been no studies investigating potential treatments for dependence on both substances. Understanding the precise nature of the interaction between marijuana and cocaine is an essential first step to developing pharmacotherapy strategies for their co-abuse. The research aims of the proposed studies are to first determine the behavioral and physiological effects of experimenter-administered marijuana in combination with smoked cocaine that contribute to the abuse liability and health risks associated with the drug combination. Next, the influence of marijuana on relapse to smoked cocaine self-administration will be determined using a human laboratory relapse model. The training goals for Dr. Cooper are to 1) acquire a more comprehensive knowledge of methodology, safety, and ethics of conducting research with psychoactive substances in the human laboratory; 2) gain expertise in methodology and data analysis for research on experimenter and self-administered marijuana and smoked cocaine in the human laboratory 3) research contemporary statistical approaches to human laboratory research 4) increase proficiency in manuscript and grant writing. Overall, this award will ensure Dr. Cooper's successful transition to an independent investigator in the field of human behavioral pharmacology of substance use disorders. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Despite the prevalence of polysubstance abuse among the drug-using population, little is known about the increased abuse liability and health risks associated with popular drug combinations. Marijuana dependence and abuse among the cocaine-dependent population is a well-established phenomenon, yet there have been no studies investigating the influence of marijuana on relapse to cocaine use. These studies will fill a critical gap in medications development for substance-use disorders by determining the behavioral and physiological effects of marijuana smoked with cocaine.