EFFECT OF DOPAMINE-RECEPTOR ANTAGONISTS ON COCAINE SUBJECTIVE EFFECTS- A NATURALISTIC CASE-STUDY

Schizophrenic patients on neuroleptic medications abuse cocaine and re port cocaine-induced euphoria. This study was undertaken to provide be tter clinical characterization of these phenomena by administering the POMS and a custom-designed questionnaire. A group of heavy cocaine us ers who were nor mentally ill served as the control group. The results clearly suggest that schizophrenic patients report cocaine-induced eu phoria and post-use craving despite being treated with therapeutic dos es of haloperidol or fluphenazine. The responses of the control group were similar to that of the schizophrenic group except that the latter subjects reported a greater degree of anxiety. These results suggest that blockade of D2 receptors is not sufficient to block cocaine-induc ed subjective effects in humans. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.