Risk behavior in opioid-dependent individuals after the administration of a therapeutic dose of methadone.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Evidence suggests that methadone may play a protective role in the faulty decision-making in heroin-addicted individuals. This may reduce craving for opioids and the risky decisions associated with active opioid use.

METHODS

We tested the effect of a daily therapeutic dose of methadone on faulty decision-making in eighty (n = 80) individuals with a history of opioid addiction. We used the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and compared the score and response time before and after the daily methadone dosing.

RESULTS

The mean net IGT score before methadone dose was 10 (±22) and 22 (±23) after methadone dose (t = 4.23, p = .00006). These results reflect statistically significant improvement in faulty decisions after the administration of the daily methadone dose. The mean response time for the reward cards before methadone dose were 1,856 ms (±871) and 1,465 ms (±851) after methadone dose (t = 2.55, p = .012). The mean response time for the punishment cards before methadone dose were 1,688 ms (±911) and 1,399 ms (±827) after methadone dose (t = 1.86, p = .065). These results reflect statistically significant improvement in response time to a rewarding healthy decisions after the administration of the daily methadone dose.

CONCLUSIONS AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE

This is the first study to report the effect of a therapeutic dose of methadone on improving faulty decisions for individuals with a long history of opioids addiction. This study demonstrated that the time to making a healthy decision was significantly shorter as a result of administration of methadone.