Overview
The purpose of this research study is to measure synaptic density in the brain comparing individuals with cocaine use disorder to healthy controls.
Description
Healthy controls (HC) will be studied as outpatient and undergo one MRI and one 11C-UCB-J PET scan along with neurocognitive tasks. Individuals with Cocaine Use Disorder (CUD) will complete the study as inpatients on our unit and undergo one MRI and two 11C-UCB-J PET scan along with neurocognitive tasks. Cocaine users will be asked to complete outpatient follow-ups twice a week for up to nine weeks following their inpatient stay.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age 21-60 years
- Physically healthy by medical history, physical, neurological, ECG and laboratory examinations
- For females, a negative serum pregnancy test
- For CUD: DSM-5 criteria for Cocaine Use Disorder and positive urine toxicology showing recent use
- For HC: Negative urine toxicology
Exclusion Criteria:
- DSM-5 criteria for other substance use disorders (e.g., alcohol, opiates, sedative hypnotics), except for nicotine
- A primary DSM-5 Axis I major psychiatric disorder (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, etc.) as determined by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5)
- A history of significant and/or uncontrolled medical or neurological illness
- Current use of psychotropic and/or potentially psychoactive prescription medications
- Medical contraindications to MRI procedure