Behavioral and Physiological Effects of Marijuana on Smoked Cocaine

描述（由申请人提供）：在这个KO1指导研究科学家发展奖的申请中，Ziva Cooper博士提出了一个全面的计划，将一个培训计划整合到成为人类行为药理学领域的独立研究人员，同时她对研究多种药物滥用的人类实验室模型感兴趣。药物很少单独滥用，因此，确定在控制良好的条件下独立和同时施用与滥用药物有关的生理和行为影响以及健康风险，是推进药物滥用治疗领域必不可少的初步步骤。在依赖可卡因的人群中，滥用大麻的现象很普遍。尽管已经有大量的研究推进了对可卡因和大麻依赖的独立治疗，但还没有研究调查对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开发药物治疗策略的重要的第一步。拟议研究的研究目的是首先确定实验者服用大麻和吸食可卡因对行为和生理的影响，这些影响会导致与药物组合相关的滥用责任和健康风险。接下来，大麻对复吸可卡因的影响将使用人类实验室复吸模型来确定。库珀博士的培训目标是：1)获得在人类实验室中使用精神活性物质进行研究的更全面的方法学、安全性和伦理知识；2)获得方法和数据分析方面的专业知识，用于在人类实验室中研究实验者和自用大麻和吸食可卡因3)研究人类实验室研究的当代统计方法4)提高手稿和拨款写作的熟练程度。总的来说，该奖项将确保库珀博士成功过渡到物质使用障碍人类行为药理学领域的独立研究者。

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.