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 factors 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. In this study the relationship between the response to a stimulant drug and behavioral control was evaluated. First, 10-mg damphetamine was administered to healthy young men and women and groups of individuals with distinct stimulant responses to that drug were identified. Next event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded while participants performed tasks that tap aspects of behavioral control: novelty detection, response inhibition, and reward processing. To evaluate the neural mechanisms involved in these processes, ERPs were recorded after placebo and 10-mg d-amphetamine (in separate sessions). The research identified neurocognitive measures of these processes that differ between responder groups. As such, the findings of this research may facilitate the development of targeted treatments for alcohol and drug abuse, as well as improved matching of treatments to individuals.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 05, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA552011
Entities
People
- Frances H. Gabbey
Organizations
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine