Characterizing Methamphetamine Withdrawal in Recently Abstinent Methamphetamine Users: A Pilot Study

Completed

Brief Summary: Methamphetamine use has escalated in recent years. Methamphetamine use has also spread throughout the country. Although much information has been gathered on the treatment of cocaine abuse, very little information has been obtained on the treatment of methamphetamine abuse. One of the first steps in developing appropriate treatment is to examine the effects of stopping a particular substance's use on individuals abusing that substance. To date this has not been well studied for people abusing methamphetamine. The purpose of this study is to better understand and develop accurate ways of measuring symptoms associated with stopping the use of methamphetamine in people that are abusing methamphetamine. If the withdrawal symptoms are able to be effectively measured, this will help to develop treatments targeted at alleviating these symptoms. These symptoms are often associated with relapse to use of that substance.

Detailed Description: The primary aim of this 4 week observational study is to examine and characterize the withdrawal symptoms experienced by methamphetamine abusers who are recently abstinent from methamphetamine. The period of drug or substance withdrawal is often cited as the time during which risk of relapse use of that substance is very high. Therefore it is highly important to characterize specifically the withdrawal syndrome associated with cessation of methamphetamine use. This study will demonstrate our ability to recruit and work with this methamphetamine dependent population. In addition it will allow for the collection of pilot data to assist in selecting appropriate assessment tools in a submission of an RO1 grant for well-controlled studies characterizing methamphetamine withdrawal.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

18-65 years old
Subjects must have a history of methamphetamine use, with recent use verified by a urine toxicology screen positive for amphetamines

Exclusion Criteria

Current diagnosis of drug or alcohol physical dependence (other than methamphetamine or tobacco)
Schizophrenia, or bipolar type I disorder
Present or recent use of over-the-counter or prescription psychoactive drug or drug(s) that may affect mood ratings
Current suicidality or psychosis
Pregnancy: hormonal changes during pregnancy can affect mood which might produce a potential confound if pregnant women were enrolled

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Methamphetamine Selective Severity Assessment (MSSA)	Baseline through week 4	Methamphetamine Selective Severity Assessment (MSSA) is an 18 item questionnaire assessing withdrawal symptoms with each question measured on a scale from 0(best score)-7(worst score) for a range in scores from 0(best score)-126(worst score). Higher scores indicate more severe withdrawal symptoms.
Methamphetamine Withdrawal Assessment (MAWA)	Baseline through week 4	The Methamphetamine Withdrawal Assessment (MAWA) is a 13 item questionnaire which measures symptoms of methamphetamine withdrawal on a scale from 0(best score)-4(worst score). The total score ranges from 0(best score)-52(worst score).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) Rating Score	4 weeks	Hamilton Depression rating scale (HAM-D)is a scale that covers 21 symptoms with a total score of 0(best score)-62 (worst score) and a cutoff for moderate depression of 15 or above.