Effects of Intravenous Cocaine and Cigarette Smoking on Luteinizing Hormone, Testosterone, and Prolactin in Men

Cocaine and nicotine have a number of similar behavioral and neurobiological effects. This study compared the acute effects of cocaine and cigarette smoking on luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone (T), and prolactin. Twenty-four men who met American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual criteria for cocaine abuse or nicotine dependence were given intravenous cocaine (0.4 mg/kg) or placebo-cocaine, or smoked a low or high nicotine cigarette under controlled conditions. Placebo-cocaine or low nicotine cigarette smoking did not change LH, T, or prolactin. Peak plasma levels of 254 ± 18 ng cocaine/ml and 22.6 ± 3.4 ng nicotine/ml were measured at 8 and 14 min, respectively. LH increased significantly after both i.v. cocaine and high nicotine cigarette smoking ( P P P P P