A Randomized Controlled Trial of
Auricular Acupuncture for Cocaine Dependence

by
Avants SK, Margolin A, Holford TR, Kosten TR
Substance Abuse Center,
Yale University School of Medicine,
34 Park St,
New Haven,
CT 06519.
arthur.margolin@yale.edu
Arch Intern Med 2000 Aug 14/28;160(15):2305-2312


ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Partly because of a lack of a conventional, effective treatment for cocaine addiction, auricular acupuncture is used to treat this disorder in numerous drug treatment facilities across the country for both primary cocaine-dependent and opiate-dependent populations. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of auricular acupuncture for the treatment of cocaine addiction. METHODS: Eighty-two cocaine-dependent, methadone-maintained patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: auricular acupuncture, a needle-insertion control condition, or a no-needle relaxation control. Treatment sessions were provided 5 times weekly for 8 weeks. The primary outcome was cocaine use assessed by 3-times-weekly urine toxicology screens. RESULTS: Longitudinal analysis of the urine data for the intent-to-treat sample showed that patients assigned to acupuncture were significantly more likely to provide cocaine-negative urine samples relative to both the relaxation control (odds ratio, 3.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.33-8.72; P =.01) and the needle-insertion control (odds ratio, 2.40; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-5.75; P =.05). CONCLUSIONS: Findings from the current study suggest that acupuncture shows promise for the treatment of cocaine dependence. Further investigation of this treatment modality appears to be warranted


Acupuncture
Dopaminergic flies?
Dopaminergic agents
The coke-craving brain
Cocaine and depression
Cocaine and the lonely rat
Monoamines, cocaine and rats
Cocaine and artificial enzymes
Freebasing flies go hyperkinetic
N-acetyl cysteine/cocaine craving
Kappa receptors, dopamine D3 and cocaine
Cocaine, dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin

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