Abstract
The behavioral and physiological effects of intranasally administered cocaine (placebo, 48, 96 mg/70 kg) were examined in eight recreational cocaine users under controlled laboratory conditions. The 48 and 96 mg doses of cocaine significantly improved subjects' performance on the Digit Symbol Substitution Test above levels observed either prior to drug administration or when placebo was administered. These effects were discernible for up to 120 min after cocaine administration. Cocaine had no statistically significant effects on learning and performance of ten-response sequences. The 48 and 96 mg doses increased heart rate and blood pressure for up to 180 min, and increased subject ratings of drug effects and decreased skin temperature for 60–90 min after drug administration. Cocaine produced no significant effects on the electrocardiogram. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental demonstration that acutely administered cocaine can improve behavioral performance in rested subjects. In addition, the duration of cardiac effects in this study was longer than previously reported with intranasal cocaine, perhaps due to the concurrent behavioral testing.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ambre JJ, Belknap SM, Nelson J, Ruo TI, Shin SG, Atkinson AJ (1988) Acute tolerance to cocaine in humans. Clin Pharmacol Ther 44:1–8
Bickel WK, Higgins ST, Griffiths RR (1989) Repeated diazepam administration: effects on the acquisition and performance of response chains in humans. J Exp Anal Behav 52:47–56
Dews PB (1953) The measurement of the influence of drugs on voluntary activity in mice. Br J Pharmacol 8:46–48
Fischman MW (1984) The behavioral pharmacology of cocaine in humans. In: Grabowski J (ed) Cocaine: pharmacology, effects, and treatment of abuse. NIDA Res Monogr 50, Department of Health and Human Services, Publication No (ADM) 84–1326, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, pp 72–91
Fischman MW, Schuster CR (1980) Cocaine effects in sleep-deprived humans. Psychopharmacology 72:1–8
Fischman MW, Schuster CR, Resnekov L, Schick JFE, Krasnegor NA, Fennell W, Freedman DX (1976) Cardiovascular and subjective effects of intravenous cocaine administration in humans. Arch Gen Psychiatry 33:983–989
Fischman MW, Schuster CR, Javaid J, Hatano Y, Davis J (1985) Acute tolerance development to the cardiovascular and subjective effects of cocaine. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 235:677–682
Foltin RW, Fischman MW (1988) Ethanol and cocaine interactions in humans: cardiovascular consequences. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 31:877–883
Foltin RW, Fischman MW, Pedroso JJ, Pearlson GD (1988a) Repeated intranasal cocaine administration: lack of tolerance to pressor effects. Drug Alcohol Depend 22:169–177
Foltin RW, McEntee MA, Capriotti RM, Pedroso JJ, Fischman MW (1988b) Effects of cocaine, alone and in combination with task performance, on heart rate and blood pressure. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 31:387–391
Gonzalez FA, Goldberg SR (1977) Effects of cocaine andd-amphetamine on behavior maintained under various schedules of food presentation in squirrel monkeys. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 201:33–43
Hatsukami D, Keenan R, Carroll M, Colon E, Wilson B (1990) Smoked cocaine-base and dose-related biochemical, physiological and subjective effects. Pharmacol Biochem Behav (in press)
Higgins ST, Bickel WK, O'Leary DK, Yingling J (1987) Acute effects of ethanol and diazepam on the acquisition and performance of response sequences in humans. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 243:1–8
Higgins ST, Capeless M, Hughes J, Bickel W, Belinson M (1988) Behavioral and cardiovascular effects of alcohol andd-amphetamine combinations in normal volunteers (abstract). In: Harris LS (ed) Problems of drug dependence 1988: Proceedings of the 50th Annual Scientific Meeting of The Committee on Problems of Drug Dependence, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, pp 35–36
Higgins ST, Woodward BM, Henningfield JE (1989) Effects of atropine on the repeated acquisition and performance of response sequences in humans. J Exp Anal Behav 51:5–15
Javaid JI, Fischman MW, Schuster CR, Dekirmenjian H, Davis JM (1978) Cocaine plasma concentration: relation to physiological and subjective effects in humans. Science 202:227–228
Jones RT (1984) The pharmacology of cocaine. In: Grabowski J (ed) Cocaine: pharmacology, effects, and treatment of abuse. NIDA Res Monogr 50, Department of Health and Human Services, Publication No (ADM) 84–1326, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, pp 34–52
Kumor K, Sherer M, Thompson L, Cone E, Mahaffey M, Jaffe JH (1988) Lack of cardiovascular tolerance during intravenous cocaine infusions in human volunteers. Life Sci 42:2063–2071
Laties VG, Weiss B (1981) The amphetamine margin in sports. Fed Proc 40:2689–2692
McLeod DR, Griffiths RR, Bigelow GE, Yingling J (1982) An automated version of the digit symbol substitution test (DSST). Behav Res Methods Instr 14:463–466
Resnick RB, Kestenbaum RS, Schwartz LK (1977) Acute systemic effects of cocaine in man: a controlled study by intranasal and intravenous routes. Science 195:696–699
Scheel-Kruger J (1972) Behavioral and biochemical comparison of amphetamine derivatives, cocaine, benzotropine and tricyclic anti-depressant drugs. Eur J Pharmacol 18:63–73
Spealman RD, Goldberg SR, Kelleher RT, Goldberg DM, Charlton JP (1977) Some effects of cocaine and two cocaine analogs on schedule-controlled behavior of squirrel monkeys. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 202:500–509
Van Dyke C, Barash PG, Jatlow P, Byck R (1976) Cocaine: plasma concentrations after intranasal application in man. Science 191:859–861
Weiss B, Laties VG (1962) Enhancement of human performance by caffeine and the amphetamines. Pharmacol Rev 14:1–36
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Higgins, S.T., Bickel, W.K., Hughes, J.R. et al. Effects of intranasal cocaine on human learning, performance and physiology. Psychopharmacology 102, 451–458 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02247124
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02247124