We are testing to see if Galantamine, a learning enhancing medication, will help methadone maintained cocaine abusers with their learning and memory specific to CBT using an innovative CBT computer program.
We are proposing a randomized double blind clinical trial of galantamine and our innovative computer-assisted version of CBT, alone and in combination, to improve treatment outcome and cognitive functioning among cocaine users. The proposed study will be the first to evaluate a cognitive enhancing medication as a means of enhancing the effects of an extremely promising empirically validated behavioral therapy for addiction, and hence bridge cognitive neuroscience and behavioral therapies development. The aim is to conduct a 12 week randomized placebo controlled trial, using a 2x2 factorial model, that will evaluate the efficacy of adding computer assisted training in CBT ("CBT4CBT") and galantamine to standard treatment for 160 cocaine abusing or dependent methadone-maintained individuals. Participants will be randomized to (1) standard treatment (TAU) plus placebo, (2) TAU plus galantamine, (3) TAU plus CBT4CBT plus placebo, or (4) TAU plus CBT4CBT plus galantamine.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
120
Daily 8 mg galantamine capsule
CBT a psychotherapeutic approach that addresses dysfunctional emotions, maladaptive behaviors and cognitive processes and contents through a number of goal-oriented, explicit systematic procedures. The name refers to behavior therapy, cognitive therapy, and to therapy based upon a combination of basic behavioral and cognitive principles and research.
Kinsella Treatment Center (KTC)
Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States
Regional Network of Programs
Stratford, Connecticut, United States
Cocaine Use
Reduction in cocaine use, operationalized as the frequency of cocaine use by month using timeline followback.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Cocaine Abstinence
operationalized by percentage of drug-free urine specimens submitted (We will use the Branan ToxCup Drug Screen Cup onsite TESTCUP system for detection of cocaine, methamphetamine, THC, benzodiazepine, and opioids) at 12 Weeks
Time frame: 12 weeks
Cognitive Function
A composite using a carefully selected neuropsychological battery that includes measures of executive cognitive functioning frequently affected among cocaine users, likely to be important moderators of CBT4CBT, and sensitive to galantamine effects. These will include measures of multiple aspects of attention, cognitive inhibition, sustained attention (CANTAB), decision making (BART), and memory (digit span). Scores ranged from -1.77 to 1.42 with a higher score indicating higher cognitive functioning.
Time frame: 12 weeks
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