2.53 Dose-Finding Study of Abuse-Related Effects of Intranasal D-Methylphenidate in Recreational Stimulant Abusers

Individuals who abuse stimulants for their reinforcing effects (ie, to get “high”) tend to prefer a rapid onset (short Tmax) of high concentrations (high Cmax) of drug, a profile that can be achieved with intranasal (IN) administration. There is a paucity of human data on the range of doses of IN d-methylphenidate (d-MPH) that engender abuse-related effects. This study determined the optimal IN dose of d-MPH that produced significant positive psychostimulant effects while minimizing potentially aversive effects that are associated with higher doses of stimulants.