BACKGROUND: Personality traits such as impulsivity and sensation seeking may contribute to the initiation and maintenance of illicit drug use. Since studies have reported higher impulsivity and sensation seeking traits in cocaine dependent subjects, we were interested in determining whether former heroin addicts in methadone pharmacotherapy with comorbid cocaine addiction have greater impulsivity than those without. METHODS: Instruments to assess impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11) and sensation seeking (Sensation Seeking Scale version V) were administered to former severe heroin addicts meeting Federal criteria for methadone maintenance pharmacotherapy with (n = 71) or without cocaine dependence (n = 31) and to 145 normal healthy (non-methadone-maintained) volunteers. RESULTS: The methadone-maintained without cocaine dependence and the methadone-maintained with cocaine dependence groups, both scored higher than did the normal volunteer group on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale total score (p<0.001). On the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Attentional, Nonplanning, and Motor subscales, the methadone-maintained and methadone-maintained with cocaine dependence groups scored higher than did normal volunteers with no history of drug abuse or dependence (p<0.001). There was no difference among groups on total score or any subscale of the Sensation Seeking Scale. However, males in all groups overall scored higher than did females on Disinhibition and Thrill and Adventure seeking subscales of the Sensation Seeking Scale version V (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates higher impulsivity in former severe heroin addicts meeting criteria for or currently in stable methadone maintenance pharmacotherapy, irrespective of a positive or negative history of cocaine dependence.
BACKGROUND: Personality traits such as impulsivity and sensation seeking may contribute to the initiation and maintenance of illicit drug use. Since studies have reported higher impulsivity and sensation seeking traits in cocaine dependent subjects, we were interested in determining whether former heroin addicts in methadone pharmacotherapy with comorbid cocaine addiction have greater impulsivity than those without. METHODS: Instruments to assess impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11) and sensation seeking (Sensation Seeking Scale version V) were administered to former severe heroin addicts meeting Federal criteria for methadone maintenance pharmacotherapy with (n = 71) or without cocaine dependence (n = 31) and to 145 normal healthy (non-methadone-maintained) volunteers. RESULTS: The methadone-maintained without cocaine dependence and the methadone-maintained with cocaine dependence groups, both scored higher than did the normal volunteer group on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale total score (p<0.001). On the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Attentional, Nonplanning, and Motor subscales, the methadone-maintained and methadone-maintained with cocaine dependence groups scored higher than did normal volunteers with no history of drug abuse or dependence (p<0.001). There was no difference among groups on total score or any subscale of the Sensation Seeking Scale. However, males in all groups overall scored higher than did females on Disinhibition and Thrill and Adventure seeking subscales of the Sensation Seeking Scale version V (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates higher impulsivity in former severe heroin addicts meeting criteria for or currently in stable methadone maintenance pharmacotherapy, irrespective of a positive or negative history of cocaine dependence.
Authors: P Franques; M Auriacombe; E Piquemal; M Verger; S Brisseau-Gimenez; D Grabot; J Tignol Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2003-03-01 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: F Gerard Moeller; Donald M Dougherty; Ernest S Barratt; Victor Oderinde; Charles W Mathias; R Andrew Harper; Alan C Swann Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2002-09-01 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Ashwin A Patkar; Wade H Berrettini; Margret Hoehe; Charles C Thornton; Edward Gottheil; Kevin Hill; Stephen P Weinstein Journal: Psychiatry Res Date: 2002-06-01 Impact factor: 3.222
Authors: Artur K Kieres; Kathryn A Hausknecht; Andrew M Farrar; Ashley Acheson; Harriet de Wit; Jerry B Richards Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2004-01-30 Impact factor: 4.530
Authors: Catherine A Martin; Thomas H Kelly; Mary Kay Rayens; Bethanie Brogli; Kathryn Himelreich; Allen Brenzel; Christopher M Bingcang; Hatim Omar Journal: Psychol Rep Date: 2004-06
Authors: Yayi Swain; Peter Muelken; Mark G LeSage; Jonathan C Gewirtz; Andrew C Harris Journal: Pharmacol Biochem Behav Date: 2018-02-02 Impact factor: 3.533
Authors: Brian A Anderson; Monica L Faulkner; Jessica J Rilee; Steven Yantis; Cherie L Marvel Journal: Exp Clin Psychopharmacol Date: 2013-10-14 Impact factor: 3.157
Authors: Elise N Marino; Kristen D Rosen; Antonio Gutierrez; Maxim Eckmann; Somayaji Ramamurthy; Jennifer Sharpe Potter Journal: Addict Behav Date: 2013-02-04 Impact factor: 3.913
Authors: Robert I Perry; Theodore Krmpotich; Laetitia L Thompson; Susan K Mikulich-Gilbertson; Marie T Banich; Jody Tanabe Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2013-05-28 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Evan S Herrmann; Dennis J Hand; Matthew W Johnson; Gary J Badger; Sarah H Heil Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2014-07-30 Impact factor: 4.492