PREFERENCE FOR DIAZEPAM, BUT NOT BUSPIRONE, IN MODERATE DRINKERS

The purpose of the present study was to determine the preference for b uspirone, an anxiolytic predicted to have minimal abuse potential, in comparison with diazepam in moderate drinkers. Preference for diazepam and buspirone was assessed in 55 moderate drinkers using a seven-sess ion procedure consisting of four sampling sessions followed by three c hoice sessions. On each sampling session subjects ingested five capsul es, one every 30 min. Color-coded capsules contained placebo on two se ssions and drug on two sessions. Each drug capsule contained diazepam (4 mg) for 30 subjects and buspirone (5 mg) for 25 subjects. On choice sessions subjects chose whichever of the two color-coded capsules, i. e., drug or placebo, they wished to take. After ingesting one capsule, every 30 min they had the option of ingesting another capsule of the same color and content, for a maximum of seven capsules over the sessi on (maximum of 28 mg diazepam or 35 mg buspirone). In the diazepam gro up 70% of subjects chose diazepam over placebo on at least two of the three choice sessions, whereas in the buspirone group only 24% of subj ects chose buspirone over placebo on at least two sessions. Both diaze pam and buspirone increased measures of sedation. Only diazepam increa sed ratings of liking and impaired performance, whereas only buspirone decreased ratings of feeling Friendly. These results replicate previo us findings indicating that diazepam has reinforcing effects in modera te drinkers. Further, these results demonstrate the pharmacological sp ecificity of this effect by showing that buspirone did not function as a reinforcer under these same conditions.