Relationship between Platelet Serotonin Uptake Sites and Measures of Impulsivity, Aggression, and Craving among African‐American Cocaine Abusers

Abstract

We investigated whether platelet-tritiated paroxetine binding, a measure of serotonin uptake sites, and behavioral measures of impulsivity, aggression, and craving differed between cocaine-dependent subjects and controls and whether paroxetine binding was related to these behavioral measures. One hundred and five African-American cocaine-dependent outpatients and 44 African-American controls were studied. Tritiated paroxetine binding sites on platelets were assayed, and standardized assessments of impulsivity, aggression, and craving were performed. The Bmax values of paroxetine binding were significantly reduced among cocaine patients compared to controls. Cocaine patients showed significantly higher scores on certain measures of sensation seeking, impulsivity, and aggression as compared to controls. Furthermore, paroxetine binding showed a significant negative correlation with most measures of sensation seeking, impulsivity, and aggression--though not craving--among cocaine patients. Our findings indicate that densities of serotonin uptake sites may be reduced among cocaine abusers and related to impulsive-aggressive behavioral dimensions.

Déficits neuropsicológicos asociados a la relación entre abuso de cocaína y violencia: mecanismos neuronales facilitadores

“…It is has been hypothesized that cocaine facilitates aggression by inhibiting the reuptake of monoamines such as dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin or by overstimulating the postsynaptic receptors (Cunningham & Anastasio, 2014;Grewen et al, 2014;Moore et al, 2008;Patkar et al, 2003;. Hence, the levels of monoamines in the synaptic space might increase (Cooper, Bloom, & Roth, 1991;Matuskey et al, 2014) in different areas of the prefrontal cortex and limbic system, which play a key role in the regulation of behaviour and emotions (Davis, 1996).…”

“…Serotonin could be an important mediator in the relationship between the expression of violence and cocaine abuse (Patkar et al, 2006). Cocaine users presenting greater levels of violence show alterations in both the transporters of this neurotransmitter and in the postsynaptic receptors (Patkar et al, 2003;. Such alterations in the monoaminergic system were corroborated by studies that analyzed the concentration of monoamine metabolites and monoamines in the cerebrospinal fluid of children with prenatal exposure to cocaine, concluding that these children presented higher levels of noradrenaline and its precursors and reductions in dopamine metabolites (Mayes et al, 1998;Needlman, Zuckerman, Anderson, Mirochnick, & Cohen, 1993).…”

Responses to Novelty and Vulnerability to Cocaine Addiction: Contribution of a Multi-Symptomatic Animal Model

“…This apparent dissociation between impulsivity, sensation seeking, and cocaine addiction may seem questionable at first glance, especially provided the wealth of evidence from human studies supporting associations both between impulsivity and sensation seeking (von Knorring et al 1984;Eysenck and Eysenck 1985;Zuckerman 1993) and between these two behavioral traits and cocaine addiction (Castellani and Rugle 1995;Patkar et al 2002Patkar et al , 2003Patkar et al , 2004Verdejo-Garcia et al 2007a,b;Meda et al 2009). However, both impulsivity (Evenden 1999) and sensation seeking (Arnett 1994) are two multifaceted constructs.…”

Craving e dependência química: conceito, avaliação e tratamento

“…Por outro lado, como as substâncias psicoativas têm ação neuroquímica 8,17,26,[31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38] que está relacionada não somente com o efeito das drogas, como com diversas outras alterações, tanto cognitivas quanto comportamentais, estes mecanismos precisam ser estudados para a compreensão do craving.…”

“…Deve ser salientada, também, a função da serotonina, por causa da sua influência na liberação dopaminérgica 8 . Há indicações de que a diminuição de serotonina seria uma das responsáveis pela ocorrência de craving em alcoolistas 36 e em dependentes de cocaína 37 . O uso de substâncias psicoativas está relacionado à ativação da área tegmental ventral, núcleo acumbens, amíg-dala, cíngulo anterior e córtex pré-frontal 17,38 .…”