Reinforcing effects of extended inhalation of nitrous oxide in humans

The subjective, psychomotor and reinforcing effects of nitrous oxide at subanesthetic doses (30% and 40% in oxygen) were determined in normal healthy volunteers using a choice paradigm. Thirty percent nitrous oxide was chosen no more often than oxygen (41.6% choice rate), indicating that, for most o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Drug and alcohol dependence 1993-02, Vol.31 (3), p.265-280
Main Authors: Dohrn, Cathleen S., Lichtor, J.Lance, Coalson, Dennis W., Uitvlugt, Anna, de Wit, Harriet, Zacny, James P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Administration, Inhalation
Adult
Affect - drug effects
Anesthetics. Neuromuscular blocking agents
Arousal - drug effects
Biological and medical sciences
Choice Behavior
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Euphoria - drug effects
Female
gender differences
human
Humans
individual differences
Individuality
inhalants
Male
Medical sciences
Neuropharmacology
nitrous oxide
Nitrous Oxide - pharmacology
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Psychomotor Performance - drug effects
Reaction Time - drug effects
reinforcing effects
subjective effects
Substance-Related Disorders - psychology
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Summary:The subjective, psychomotor and reinforcing effects of nitrous oxide at subanesthetic doses (30% and 40% in oxygen) were determined in normal healthy volunteers using a choice paradigm. Thirty percent nitrous oxide was chosen no more often than oxygen (41.6% choice rate), indicating that, for most of the subjects tested, extended inhalation of this nitrous oxide concentration was no more reinforcing than oxygen inhalation. Forty percent nitrous oxide was chosen significantly less often than oxygen (22% choice rate), indicating that, for most of the subjects tested, extended inhalation of this nitrous oxide concentration was less reinforcing than oxygen. Nitrous oxide produced robust subjective effects (e.g., increased ratings of ‘high,’ ‘tingling,’ and ‘dizzy’). Subjects who chose nitrous oxide reported pleasant subjective effects and liked it, while those who chose placebo reported unpleasant subjective effects and disliked it. Both concentrations of nitrous oxide impaired psychomotor performance in all subjects. The lack of reinforcing effects noted in the present study, given nitrous oxide's known abuse potential, is discussed.
ISSN:0376-8716
1879-0046
DOI:10.1016/0376-8716(93)90009-F