Amphetamine Challenge: A Marker of Brain Function that Mediates Risk for Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Abstract
People differ in their susceptibility to abuse alcohol and drugs, and the conditions that lead to abuse and dependence are not the same in everyone. Some people are susceptible because they experience particularly positive effects from alcohol and drugs; often, the same people have problems controlling their behavior. They are impulsive; they seek out novel and exciting experiences; and they may be influenced by other rewards, such as those associated with gambling or risky sexual behavior, even if the long-term consequences of those behaviors are harmful. This study will evaluate the relationship between the response to a stimulant drug and behavioral control. First, we will administer 10 mg d-amphetamine and select two groups of individuals: a group that reports strong stimulant effects (Responders) and a group that reports no stimulant effects (Nonresponders). Next we will record event-related brain potentials (ERPs) while participants perform tasks that tap aspects of behavioral control: response inhibition, novelty detection, and reward processing. To evaluate the neural mechanisms involved in these processes, we will record ERPs after placebo, and in a separate session, after 10 mg d-amphetamine. This research will identify aspects of control that differentiate these groups and elucidate the neural systems that mediate these differences. As such, the findings of this research may lead to better treatments for alcohol and drug abuse, particularly for people who abuse these drugs because of their stimulating effects.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA509957
Entities
People
- Frances H. Gabbay
Organizations
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine