Effects of Pentazocine on Manic Symptoms

Summary

The opiate neurotransmitter system is thought to be involved in many abnormal mood states. Some researchers have suggested that changes in this system may trigger the switch to/from manic and depressive states in bipolar disorder. One problem with most of the currently available opiate medications is that they can produce addiction/dependence. A particular kind of opiate medication known as kappa-opiates may be able to produce changes in this system with much less risk of addiction. This study looks at Talwin (a combination of pentazocine and naloxone), a medication which affects the kappa and mu opiate systems. The study will examine whether two doses of Talwin affect manic symptoms in people who have been admitted to the hospital. This study will give more information about the involvement of the opiate system in bipolar disorder, and give important information for use in developing new treatments.

Timeline

Start

2005-09

Primary completion

2008-08

Completion

2008-12

Publications

• Background Ma J, Ye N, Lange N, Cohen BM. Dynorphinergic GABA neurons are a target of both typical and atypical antipsychotic drugs in the nucleus accumbens shell, central amygdaloid nucleus and thalamic central medial nucleus. Neuroscience. 2003;121(4):991-8. doi: 10.1016/s0306-4522(03)00397-x.
• Background Carlezon WA Jr, Beguin C, DiNieri JA, Baumann MH, Richards MR, Todtenkopf MS, Rothman RB, Ma Z, Lee DY, Cohen BM. Depressive-like effects of the kappa-opioid receptor agonist salvinorin A on behavior and neurochemistry in rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2006 Jan;316(1):440-7. doi: 10.1124/jpet.105.092304. Epub 2005 Oct 13.
• Background Mague SD, Pliakas AM, Todtenkopf MS, Tomasiewicz HC, Zhang Y, Stevens WC Jr, Jones RM, Portoghese PS, Carlezon WA Jr. Antidepressant-like effects of kappa-opioid receptor antagonists in the forced swim test in rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2003 Apr;305(1):323-30. doi: 10.1124/jpet.102.046433.
• Background Todtenkopf MS, Marcus JF, Portoghese PS, Carlezon WA Jr. Effects of kappa-opioid receptor ligands on intracranial self-stimulation in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2004 Apr;172(4):463-70. doi: 10.1007/s00213-003-1680-y. Epub 2004 Jan 16.
• Results Cohen BM, Murphy B. The effects of pentazocine, a kappa agonist, in patients with mania. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2008 Mar;11(2):243-7. doi: 10.1017/S1461145707008073. Epub 2007 Sep 26.

Drugs

Indications