Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7fkt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T08:42:47.655Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Ondansetron and Opiate Craving

A Novel Pharmacological Approach to Addiction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

L. A. Sell ,
P. J. Cowen  and
P. J. Robson
L. A. Sell*
Affiliation:
Department of Addictive Behaviour, Warneford Hospital, Oxford
P. J. Cowen
Affiliation:
Psychopharmacology Research Unit, Littlemore Hospital, Oxford
P. J. Robson
Affiliation:
Department of Addictive Behaviour, Warneford Hospital, Oxford
*
Dr L. A. Sell, Department of Addictive Behaviour, Warneford Hospital, Oxford OX3 7JX
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

Pharmacological approaches to opiate addiction have for the most part been limited to a role in detoxification. A high percentage of patients who complete detoxification programmes relapse.

Method

In the present study, we used a simple laboratory method to investigate suggestions from preclinical studies that 5-(hydroxytryptamine) HT3 receptor antagonists have a role in the treatment of addiction.

Results

We showed that addicts stably maintained on methadone experienced significant craving, dysphoria, and withdrawal-like symptoms when exposed to a video containing drug-related cues. The craving was not lessened by treatment with the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, ondansetron (4 mg orally).

Conclusion

Our current findings do not support a role for 5-HT3 receptor agonists in the reduction of craving in opiate addicts.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 166 , Issue 4 , April 1995 , pp. 511 - 514
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1995 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Carboni, E., Acquas, E. & Di Chiara, G. (1989a) 5-HT3 receptor antagonists block morphine- and nicotine- but not amphetamine-induced reward. Psychopharmacology, 97, 175–178.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carboni, E., Acquas, E., Frau, R. & Di Chiara, G. (1989b) Differential inhibitory effects of a 5-HT3 antagonist on drug induced stimulation of dopamine release. European Journal of Pharmacology, 164, 515–519.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Childress, A. R., McLellan, A. T. & O'Brien, C. P. (1986) Conditioned responses in a methadone population. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 3, 173–179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gossop, M., Green, L., Phillips, G. & Bradley, B. (1989) Lapse, relapse and survival among opiate addicts after treatment; a prospective follow-up study. British Journal of Psychiatry, 154, 348–353.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hiogins, G. A., Joharchi, N., Nguyen, P. & Sellers, E. M. (1992) Effect of the 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, MDL72222 and ondansetron, on morphine place conditioning. Psychopharmacology, 106, 315–320.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, B. A., Campling, G. M., Griffiths, P. & Cowen, P. J. (1993) Attenuation of some alcohol induced mood changes and the desire to drink by 5-HT3 receptor blockade: a preliminary study in healthy male volunteers. Psychopharmacology, 112, 142–144.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kranzler, H. R. & Bauer, L. O. (1992) Bromocriptine and cocaine cue reactivity in cocaine-dependent patients. British Journal of Addiction, 87, 1537–1548.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Montgomery, A. M. J., Rose, I. C. & Herberg, L. J. (1993) The effect of a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, ondansetron, on brain stimulation reward, and its interaction with direct and indirect stimulants of central dopaminergic transmission. Journal of Neural Transmission, 91, 1–11.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Powell, J., Bradley, B. & Gray, J. (1992) Classical conditioning and cognitive determinants of subjective craving for opiates: an investigation of their relative contributions. British Journal of Addiction, 87, 1133–1144.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wise, R. A. & Bozarth, M. A. (1987) A psychomotor theory of addiction. Psychological Review, 94, 118–132.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.