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CompletedNCT00218309Updated Jan 12, 2017

Effects of Pre-Session Supplemental Hydromorphone on Drug Seeking Behavior in Opioid Dependent Individuals

An observational study in Heroin Dependence and Opioid-Related Disorders, sponsored by National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 55 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2017-01-12.

Sponsored by National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) · Observational

Study type
Observational
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
16
Ages
18 Years to 55 Years
Sex
All
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Study summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the opportunity to take free supplemental hydromorphone (HYD) influences drug seeking behavior in heroin dependent individuals.

Read the detailed description

Drug dependence is a condition in which drug seeking holds a higher priority than behaviors controlled by other reinforcers. Learning to understand, predict, and control this maladaptive choice behavior may lead to improved prevention and treatment strategies. HYD is a drug currently used as a cough suppressant and to relieve pain. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which opioid drug seeking behavior in heroin dependent individuals can be reduced by environmental factors, including supplemental opioid drug availability, drug price, and non-drug alternative reinforcers. Specifically, this study will determine whether pre-session opportunity to take "free" supplemental HYD influences HYD seeking by using a choice progressive ratio schedule as well as by varying the dose of HYD.

Participants in this observational study will undergo multiple test sessions in which they will select between acquiring drug or money. Because participants may choose money on all 12 trials of test sessions as a way to avoid receiving an injection, a placebo injection will be given when money is chosen. Prior to each test session, participants will receive a sample of the drug dose. During each test session, participants will have 12 opportunities to select either drug (administered as HYD) or money. Prior to each individual choice trial, participants will receive supplemental HYD. Participants will use a computer to earn choices. Respiration rate, oxygen saturation, heart rate, and blood pressure will be monitored throughout choice trials. Pupil diameter will be measured with a digital camera. Participants will complete self-report questionnaires at different times during the study. Participants will be maintained on buprenorphine throughout the study, with a fixed 3-week detoxification after study completion.

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Conditions studied

  • Heroin Dependence
  • Opioid-Related Disorders

Keywords

  • opiate dependence
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In context

Heroin Dependence

90 studies on the registry are indexed under Heroin Dependence; 1 is open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 16 is below the median of 30 across 17 observational studies indexed under Heroin Dependence.

Browse Heroin Dependence studies →

Lead sponsor

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is the lead sponsor of 393 studies on the registry; 19 are open to participants now.

Of its 14 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 6 (43%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 55 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Current opiate dependence, verified by the structured clinical interview for (SCID) and Addiction Severity Index (ASI)
  • Positive urine test for opiates
  • Agreement to use adequate for the duration of the study
  • Able to read and write English

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • diagnosis of a psychiatric illness
  • History of or current neurological disease, including structural brain abnormalities, seizures, infection, peripheral neuropathy, and head trauma
  • History of cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction, chest pain, edema, systolic blood pressure greater than 160 mm Hg or less than 95 mm Hg, or diastolic blood pressure greater than 95 mm Hg
  • Pulmonary disease, including obstructive pulmonary disease, cor pulmonale, tuberculosis, and asthma
  • Systemic diseases, such as endocrinopathies, liver or kidney failure, myxedema, hypothyroidism, Addison's disease, or disease
  • Current alcohol or sedative drug dependence
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Currently receiving treatment for opioid dependence
  • Known phobia of injections
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(3)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

DSM diagnostic criteria

The American Psychiatric Association’s manual of mental health diagnoses. DSM-5 (2013, revised as DSM-5-TR in 2022) replaced DSM-IV, and some studies still name the older edition. “Meets DSM criteria for …” means diagnosed by that edition’s diagnostic criteria, usually by a clinician in an interview.

Contraception

Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.

Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.

Autoimmune disease

A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.

Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.

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Study design

Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
16 participants

Interventions

06

Study locations

1 site
  • Wayne State University
    Detroit, Michigan 48207, United States
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References and documents

Publications

  • Woodcock EA, Lundahl LH, Burmeister M, Greenwald MK. Functional mu opioid receptor polymorphism (OPRM1 A(118) G) associated with heroin use outcomes in Caucasian males: A pilot study. Am J Addict. 2015 Jun;24(4):329-35. doi: 10.1111/ajad.12187. Epub 2015 Apr 24. PubMed 25911999 ↗
  • Stoltman JJ, Woodcock EA, Lister JJ, Greenwald MK, Lundahl LH. Exploration of the telescoping effect among not-in-treatment, intensive heroin-using research volunteers. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2015 Mar 1;148:217-20. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.01.010. Epub 2015 Jan 19. PubMed 25630964 ↗
  • Greenwald MK, Steinmiller CL, Sliwerska E, Lundahl L, Burmeister M. BDNF Val(66)Met genotype is associated with drug-seeking phenotypes in heroin-dependent individuals: a pilot study. Addict Biol. 2013 Sep;18(5):836-45. doi: 10.1111/j.1369-1600.2011.00431.x. Epub 2012 Feb 16. PubMed 22339949 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 12, 2017, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00218309
First posted
Sep 22, 2005
Start date
Sep 2003
Completion
Jul 2005
Last update
Jan 12, 2017

Study contacts

Mark Greenwald, PhD
principal investigator · Wayne State University
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in May 2006. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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