Cingulate cortical thickness in cocaine use disorder: mediation effect between early life stress and cocaine consumption.

OBJECTIVE: The cingulate gyrus is implicated in the neurobiology of addiction, such as chronic cocaine consumption. Early life stress (ELS) is an important moderator of cocaine use disorder (CUD). Therefore, we investigated the effect of CUD on cingulate cortical thickness and tested whether a history of ELS could influence the effects of CUD. METHODS: Participants aged 18-50 years (78 with CUD due to crack cocaine consumption and 53 healthy controls) underwent magnetic resonance imaging and the cingulate thickness (rostral anterior, caudal anterior, posterior, and isthmus regions) was analysed. The clinical assessment comprised the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Addiction Severity Index. Group comparisons adjusting by sex, age, and education were performed. Mediation models were generated where lifetime cocaine use, CTQ score, and cortical thickness corresponded to the independent variable, intermediary variable, and outcome, respectively. RESULTS: Group comparisons revealed significant differences in six out of eight cingulate cortices, showing lower thickness in the CUD group. Furthermore, years of regular cocaine use was the variable most associated with cingulate thickness. Negative correlations were found between CTQ scores and the isthmus cingulate (right hemisphere), as well as with the rostral anterior cingulate (left hemisphere). In the mediation analysis, we observed a significant negative direct effect of lifetime cocaine use on the isthmus cingulate and an indirect effect of cocaine use mediated by CTQ score. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that a history of ELS could aggravate the negative effects of chronic cocaine use on the cingulate gyrus, particularly in the right isthmus cingulate cortex.

Cocaine use disorder in females is associated with altered social decision-making: a study with the prisoner's dilemma and the ultimatum game.

BACKGROUND: Chronic cocaine use is associated with cognitive deficits, including poor performance on neuropsychological tasks of memory, executive functions, theory of mind and decision-making. However, the relationship between cocaine use disorder and social decision-making remains unclear. This is particularly relevant given the fact that many cocaine abusers present impairments in social functioning. In this sense, game theory paradigms have been helping to comprehend the behavior of psychiatric patients when they directly engage in social situations, which may better approximate many of their real-life choices. METHODS: The present study investigated social decision-making in individuals with or without cocaine use disorder, examining their behavior in the Prisoner's Dilemma and in the Ultimatum Game. Thus, 129 females diagnosed with cocaine use disorder and 55 females with no history of substance abuse were recruited and performed both social decision-making tasks. Additional assessments included information about demographics, patterns of substance consumption and executive function performance. RESULTS: Females with cocaine use disorder opted more often to not defect in the Prisoner's Dilemma, while in the Ultimatum Game they frequently chose to accept the first and unfair offer as responders. These effects were more pronounced within females with long-term history of cocaine use. Associations between cocaine use disorder and altered social decision-making were independent from demographic and executive function variables. CONCLUSIONS: The influence of cocaine use disorder on social decision-making was detected in both game paradigms, resulting in more cooperative behavior in the Prisoner's Dilemma and higher acceptance rate of unfair offers in the Ultimatum Game. Further studies should focus on investigating these associations to shed light on the putative biopsychosocial factors underlying the observed effects.

Altered fine motor control and manual dexterity in people with cocaine dependence: An observational study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Cocaine consumption may result in irreversible structural changes in the brain. The long-term effects of cocaine are related to a wide range of deteriorated cognitive functions. This study aimed to examine the fine motor control and hand-function in cocaine users compared to healthy controls. METHODS: An observational study was conducted. Sociodemographic variables, substance consumption, the Purdue Pegboard and the Jebsen-Taylor Hand-function Test were evaluated bilaterally in 35 participants who were cocaine users and in 35 healthy participants. Differences between sides (dominant and non-dominant hands) and groups were analysed with analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: The ANOVA revealed significant differences between groups (P < 0.001) and between sides (dominant and non-dominant hands) (P = 0.005) for the one-hand pin placement subtest of the Purdue Pegboard Test. Also, ANOVA tests showed significant differences between sides, but not groups, for the simulated feeding (P < 0.001) and stacking checkers (P < 0.001) Jebsen-Taylor subtests. Cocaine user participants exhibited significantly lower scores in bilateral pin placement and required more time for the Jebsen-Taylor subtests compared to healthy participants. CONCLUSIONS: Cocaine user participants display deficits of fine motor control and some aspects of manual dexterity when compared to healthy controls. These findings show the convenience of incorporating functional rehabilitation by occupational therapists as a key component within the treatment of cocaine users. This study therefore opens a new field of practice for occupational therapy based on the assessment and treatment of motor deficits in the hand and the upper limb of people who consume cocaine.

Cocaine-Levamisole-Induced Vasculitis/Vasculopathy Syndrome.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To understand the clinical spectrum of cocaine-levamisole-induced vasculitis. Worldwide recreational drug consumption is high among the adult population from various social strata. The use of cocaine with levamisole, a frequently added antiparasitic diluent, favors the manifestations of vasculitic lesions, especially in the skin. RECENT FINDINGS: New insights into immunological mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. There are still many unknown aspects in the pathogenesis of this disease, such as the immune system interaction with p-ANCAs and the release of inflammatory NETs (neutrophil extracellular traps), which are the origin of auto-antigens and tissue damage, manifesting as vasculitic purpura on the skin. The clinical presentation constitutes a challenge for the clinician to be able to distinguish it from small-vessel vasculitides. This paper intends to improve the understanding of this condition, exhibiting the broad clinical spectrum of local and systemic manifestations of cocaine-levamisole-induced vasculitis, to facilitate a timely diagnosis, in order to take corrective measures and avoid sequelae, along with tissue damage and the consequent deformities and permanent scars.

Columella reconstruction with an inferiorly-based philtral advancement flap in a cocaine abuser.

Nasal columella defects can significantly impair aesthetic appearance. Columella reconstruction can be very challenging for surgeons, especially if due to cocaine abuse. The case of a 32-year-old male patient with subtotal columellar necrosis secondary to cocaine abuse is presented. An inferiorly based philtral advancement flap was performed to cover the defect. Aesthetic outcome was the primary goal of surgery. Reconstruction led to good aesthetic and functional results.

Comparative study of the perceived quality of life of patients in treatment for cocaine and heroin dependence in Spain: differences by gender and time in treatment.

This is a cross-sectional study in which we compared the perceived quality of life (QoL) of patients receiving outpatient treatment for cocaine (n = 727) and heroin dependence (n = 469), by analyzing differences by gender and time in treatment. Participants were recruited from addictive behavior centers in Spain in 2004. The World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument (WHOQOL-Bref) was used as a measure. Analysis of covariance and multivariate linear regression were used. This study shows the relevance of considering the role of gender in QoL studies, and the need to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment in the improvement of QoL. Limitations of the study were noted.

Clavulanic Acid Decreases Cocaine Cue Reactivity in Addiction-Related Brain Areas, a Randomized fMRI Pilot Study.

Background: Preclinical studies show that clavulanic acid (CLAV) inhibits cocaine self-administration. This study investigates the effect of CLAV on regions of brain activation in response to cocaine cues during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in participants with cocaine use disorder (CUD). Methods: A double-masked, placebo-controlled clinical trial with thirteen individuals with severe CUD who were randomized to treatment with CLAV (N = 10, 9 completers) 500 mg/day or matched placebo (PBO) (N = 3) for 3 days. fMRI was used to assess brain reactivity to 18 alternating six-second video clips of cocaine or neutral scenes. In this paradigm, participants were exposed to three different stimulus conditions: NEUTRAL, WATCH (passive watching), and DOWN (actively inhibiting craving while watching). Results: Participants who received CLAV demonstrated a significant reduction in brain activity in the anterior cingulate gyrus (p = 0.009) and the caudate (p = 0.018) in response to DOWN cocaine cues. There was a trend toward lessened cue reactivity in other regions implicated in CUD. Conclusion: CLAV reduced the response of the brain regions associated with motivation and emotional response during the DOWN condition compared to PBO, suggesting CLAV may strengthen voluntary efforts to avoid cocaine use. This pilot data supports the use of CLAV for CUD. (Trial registered in ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04411914).

Psychiatric and obstetric characteristics of pregnant crack users admitted to a referral center in Southern Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Psychoactive substance use among pregnant women has reached alarmingly high rates. Our aim was to characterize the psychiatric and clinical profiles of pregnant crack users in Brazil. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 24 pregnant crack users admitted to a referral hospital for psychiatric disorders in pregnant women, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, over three years. The following instruments were applied: a clinical-obstetric questionnaire; the condensed version of the Addiction Severity Index; a diagnostic interview for psychoactive substance use based on DSM-5; the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for DSM-IV; and the Semi-Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders (SCID-II). RESULTS: Most patients had severe crack dependence and used other substances, such as tobacco, cannabis, and alcohol. The median duration of crack use was three years, ranging between three and 12 years. Most women subsisted from illegal or informal activities; a fifth had previously been arrested and often had relationship problems. Twenty percent had HIV (n = 5), and 37.5% (n = 9) had syphilis. Borderline personality disorder was the most prevalent mental condition (62.5%), followed by suicidal tendencies (45.8%), hypomanic episodes due to substance use (37.5%), and past major depressive episodes (33.3%). CONCLUSIONS: An alarmingly high prevalence of consumption of other drugs, psychiatric disorders, and difficult-to-treat personality disorders was observed in our study. Investigating the psychiatric profile of women who use substances is essential to minimize the impacts on the mother and child, optimize therapeutic approaches to comorbidities, and enable more effective relapse prevention.

The role of ANCA in the management of cocaine-induced midline destructive lesions or ENT pseudo-granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a London multicentre case series.

OBJECTIVE: In this multicentric study involving three London hospitals, we compared ANCA-positive and ANCA-negative cocaine-induced midline destructive lesions (CIMDL) patients to assess how presence of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) may correlate with disease severity. Our secondary aims are to better classify etiology centered around ANCA positivity and, consequently, better disease management. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed to identify patients with CIMDL seen between January 2019 and December 2022. Population data including age, sex, presentation, endoscopic findings, duration of cocaine use and active use of cocaine, type of treatment, laboratory (including ANCA serology), radiological, and histological findings were collected. RESULTS: Forty CIMDL patients (25 male, median age of 42 years) were identified. The majority of them (72.5%) presented with either a septal perforation, a saddle nose deformity (22.5%), and/or a palatal fistula (20.0%). ANCA was positive in 71.1% of cases (66.7% p-ANCA). No statistically significant differences in the general characteristics, type of treatment, laboratory results, radiological or histological findings were observed when comparing ANCA-positive and ANCA-negative CIMDL patients or when comparing p-ANCA and c-ANCA patients. Similarly, no statistically significant difference was obtained when comparing the pattern of distribution of lesions between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: A large percentage of CIMDL patients showed positive ANCA test (71.1%) and in the majority of the cases a p-ANCA pattern specifically targeting PR3 (p-ANCA, PR3 + MPO-). However, ANCA positivity or presence of a specific ANCA pattern was not associated with more severe presentation or more aggressive disease. Given its similarities to granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), we recommend the use of the term "cocaine-induced ENT pseudo-GPA" instead of CIMDL. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV Laryngoscope, 2023.

Oral changes in cocaine abusers: an integrative review.

INTRODUCTION: Cocaine is one of the most often used psychoactive drugs worldwide, being extracted from the leaves of Erytroxylus coca plant. Its abusive use can trigger several consequences for the human body, including the oral cavity. OBJECTIVE: To identify the oral disorders that are most commonly found in individuals who abuse cocaine, in addition to the main diagnostic and treatment methods. METHODS: An integrative review was carried out on the databases: LILACS, BBO, LIS, MEDLINE, SciELO, Science Direct and PubMed. The following keywords were used: "Cocaína", "Boca", "Palato" and "Odontologia", together with their synonyms and variations in English, obtained from DeCS and MeSH. The inclusion criteria were original articles, articles in Portuguese, English and Spanish, studies involving individuals, without restriction related to the year of publication. Animal studies, literature reviews, book chapters, theses and dissertations were excluded. RESULTS: In total, 1373 records were identified. Of these, 22 articles were selected to comprise the review. Several oral alterations caused by cocaine abuse were found, primarily perforation of the palate, predisposition to periodontal diseases, temporomandibular disorders, bruxism, damage to oral tissues, dental caries, destructive lesions of the facial midline, xerostomia and ageusia. Among the diagnostic methods used by the professionals, anamnesis, intraoral examinations and head and neck computed tomography were the most frequently mentioned. As for treatment, in patients with palatal perforation, the reconstruction of the affected area or the use of prosthetic obturators is carried out. CONCLUSION: The management of these patients is not an easy task, as many of the users do not even seek professional help. The health professionals must be able to recognize these manifestations and alterations to establish timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.

Cannabidiol effects on cognition in individuals with cocaine use disorder: Exploratory results from a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Cocaine use disorder (CUD) is associated with various cognitive deficits that impede patients' functionality, prognosis and therapeutic outcomes. New pharmacological treatments for CUD that could improve cognition are needed. OBJECTIVE: To explore whether cannabidiol (CBD) is superior to placebo to improve cognitive functioning in individuals with CUD. METHODS: We conducted an exploratory analysis of a single site, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating CBD's efficacy in reducing craving, cocaine use and relapse in individuals with CUD. Seventy-eight individuals diagnosed with CUD were randomized to receive either CBD (800 mg) or placebo for 92 days. We used the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) to assess inhibition (Stop Signal Task; SST), risky decision making (Cambridge Gambling Task; CGT) and visual memory (Pattern Recognition Memory; PRM). This assessment was made on day 1, day 7 and at week 6. We controlled for sex, severity of dependence and baseline cognitive scores in our generalized estimating equation models. RESULTS: Both groups performed similarly on the PRM (correct answers: p = 0.080), SST (stop signal reaction time: p = 0.644) and CGT (quality of decision making: p = 0.994; deliberation time: p = 0.507; delay aversion: p = 0.968; risk taking: p = 0.914) tests. CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence for 800 mg of CBD to be more efficacious than placebo for improving cognitive outcomes. Clinical trials evaluating pharmacological treatments for CUD should continue to be a research priority.

Childhood trauma subtypes may influence the pattern of substance use and preferential substance in men with alcohol and/or crack-cocaine addiction.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the prevalence and subtypes of childhood maltreatment (CM) between individuals with and without substance use disorder (SUD) and investigate the influence of different traumas on the preferential use of substances and the severity of dependence. METHODS: The sample consisted of 1,040 men with SUD (alcohol users [n=315], crack-cocaine users [n=406], multiple-substance users [n=319]) and 201 controls. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Addiction Severity Index-6 (ASI-6) were used to assess CM and drug-use patterns. RESULTS: Individuals with SUD had a higher prevalence of CM than controls (63.4 vs. 28.1%, respectively). Exposure to physical trauma was associated with alcohol use disorder and severity of alcohol use. In contrast, emotional trauma was associated with use of multiple substances and severity of drug use in crack-cocaine users. CONCLUSIONS: This study corroborates the association of CM with SUD susceptibility. Our results suggest that the type of CM may influence preferential substance use and addiction severity. In this sense, physical traumas are more associated with alcohol use, while emotional and sexual traumas favor use of multiple drugs, especially crack cocaine. These findings may help the development of tailored prevention and intervention strategies.

Prenatal Cocaine Exposure and Motor Performance at 4 Months.

OBJECTIVE: The relation between prenatal cocaine exposure and quality of movement was studied at 4 mo using the Posture and Fine Motor Assessment of Infants (PFMAI-I). METHOD: Posture and fine motor scores of 4-month-old infants exposed to cocaine in utero (n = 370) were compared with an unexposed group (n = 533) within the context of gestational age, medical and demographic characteristics, and level of prenatal substance exposure using the PFMAI-I. RESULTS: Infants prenatally exposed to cocaine had significantly lower posture scores than infants in the unexposed group. There was no main effect of cocaine exposure on fine motor scores; however, there were independent effects of gestational age at birth on both posture and fine motor scores at 4-mo corrected age. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate independent contributions of prenatal cocaine exposure and prematurity to risk of motor delay and support the validity of the PFMAI-I as a measure of motor competence in early infancy.

Neutrophilic dermatosis of the dorsal hands related to cocaine abuse.

Neutrophilic dermatoses encompass a wide spectrum of diseases characterized by a dense infiltration mainly composed of neutrophils. Neutrophilic dermatosis of the dorsal hands is currently considered a localized variant of Sweet syndrome. Cocaine abuse has been related to a wide range of mucocutaneous manifestations, including neutrophilic dermatoses such as pyoderma gangrenosum. The authors of this study present a patient with neutrophilic dermatosis of the dorsal hands, in which cocaine abuse was identified as a probable trigger.

Safety of upper endoscopy in patients with active cocaine use.

BACKGROUND: Cocaine is a synthetic alkaloid initially viewed as a useful local anesthetic, but which eventually fell out of favor given its high addiction potential. Its predominantly sympathetic effects raise concern for cardiovascular, respiratory, and central nervous system complications in patients undergoing procedures. Peri-procedural cocaine use, often detected via a positive urine toxicology test, has been mostly addressed in the surgical and obstetrical literature. However, there are no clear guidelines on how to effectively risk stratify patients found to be positive for cocaine in the pre-operative setting, often leading to costly procedure cancellations. Within the field of gastroenterology, there is no current data available regarding safety of performing esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in patients with recent cocaine use. AIM: To compare the prevalence of EGD related complications between active (≤ 5 d) and remote (> 5 d) users of cocaine. METHODS: In total, 48 patients who underwent an EGD at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County from October 2016 to October 2018 were found to have a positive urine drug screen for cocaine (23 recent and 25 remote). Descriptive statistics were compiled for patient demographics. Statistical tests used to analyze patient characteristics, procedure details, and preprocedural adverse events included t-test, chi-square, Wilcoxon rank sum, and Fisher exact test. RESULTS: Overall, 20 periprocedural events were recorded with no statistically significant difference in distribution between the two groups (12 active vs 8 remote, P = 0.09). Pre- and post-procedure hemodynamics demonstrated only a statistically, but not clinically significant drop in systolic blood pressure and increase in heart rate in the active user group, as well as drop in diastolic blood pressure and oxygen saturation in the remote group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in overall hemodynamics between both groups. CONCLUSION: Our study found no significant difference in the rate of periprocedural adverse events during EGD in patients with recent vs remote use of cocaine. Interestingly, there were significantly more patients (30%) with active use of cocaine that required general anesthesia as compared to remote users (0%).

Cocaine-Related Aortic Dissection: what do we know?

INTRODUCTION: Cocaine use is known to be associated with an increased risk for vascular diseases. It is likely to trigger or increase the risk for an aortic dissection. We conducted an analysis of 45 cases of cocaine-related aortic dissection to further characterize the clinical features and outcomes of this patient cohort. METHODS: Our study cohort of 45 patients consisted of 11 cases from our institutional database and 34 published case reports. RESULTS: The observed cases of acute aortic dissection related to cocaine use showed a high proportion of young (41.3±8.67 years) and male (88.9%) patients. Most of the cases (75%) were classified as Stanford type A. Also, in 75% of the cases, cocaine use was prevalent for more than one year. Median time from last cocaine use to onset of symptoms was one hour. In-hospital mortality was 21.4%, while additional 11.9% of the cases died before arriving at the hospital. CONCLUSION: Acute aortic dissection related to cocaine use occurs in predominantly young male patients and has a dismal outcome when compared to all comer series.

Longitudinal changes in cocaine intake and cognition are linked to cortical thickness adaptations in cocaine users.

BACKGROUND: Cocaine use has been consistently associated with decreased gray matter volumes in the prefrontal cortex. However, it is unclear if such neuroanatomical abnormalities depict either pre-existing vulnerability markers or drug-induced consequences. Thus, this longitudinal MRI study investigated neuroplasticity and cognitive changes in relation to altered cocaine intake. METHODS: Surface-based morphometry, cocaine hair concentration, and cognitive performance were measured in 29 cocaine users (CU) and 38 matched controls at baseline and follow-up. Based on changes in hair cocaine concentration, CU were classified either as Decreasers (n = 15) or Sustained Users (n = 14). Surface-based morphometry measures did not include regional tissue volumes. RESULTS: At baseline, CU displayed reduced cortical thickness (CT) in lateral frontal regions, and smaller cortical surface area (CSA) in the anterior cingulate cortex, compared to controls. In Decreasers, CT of the lateral frontal cortex increased whereas CT within the same regions tended to further decrease in Sustained Users. In contrast, no changes were found for CSA and subcortical structures. Changes in CT were linked to cognitive performance changes and amount of cocaine consumed over the study period. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that frontal abnormalities in CU are partially drug-induced and can recover with decreased substance use. Moreover, recovery of frontal CT is accompanied by improved cognitive performance confirming that cognitive decline associated with cocaine use is potentially reversible.

Recent cocaine use and the incidence of hemodynamic events during general anesthesia: A retrospective cohort study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the intraoperative hemodynamics and medication requirements of cocaine-positive patients compared to matched cocaine-negative controls. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Public county hospital. PATIENTS: 821 patients undergoing general anesthesia. MEASUREMENTS: Incidence of hemodynamic events, defined by a mean arterial pressure of <65 mmHg or >105 mmHg or a heart rate of <50 beats per minute or >100 beats per minute. MAIN RESULTS: Cocaine-positive patients did not experience a higher incidence of hemodynamic events when compared with matched cocaine-negative patients. Cocaine-positive patients were not more likely to be administered vasopressors intraoperatively but did receive more anti-hypertensive agents. The minimum alveolar concentration of anesthetics used was similar between the two groups. Anesthesia duration, length of stay, and in-hospital mortality did not significantly differ between the two cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Cocaine-positive patients did not demonstrate more intraoperative hemodynamic events or adverse short-term outcomes as compared to matched cocaine-negative controls.

Clinical outcomes of Β-blocker therapy in cocaine-associated heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Cocaine is associated with deleterious effects in the heart, including HFrEF. Although ß-blockers are recommended for this condition in other populations, their use is discouraged in cocaine users due to the possibility of exacerbating cocaine-related cardiovascular complications. This study was designed to determine if patients with heart failure and a reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who continue to use cocaine have better outcomes when they receive ß-blocker therapy than when they do not. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 72 ß-blocker-naïve patients with HFrEF and active cocaine use. Patients who were prescribed ß-blockers as part of their therapy were compared to those who were not, and clinical and structural outcomes were compared after 12 months of treatment. RESULTS: When patients with HFrEF and active cocaine use received ß-blocker therapy, they were more likely to have an improvement in their New York Heart Association functional class (p = 0.0106) and left ventricular ejection fraction (p = 0.0031) than when they did not receive ß-antagonists. In addition, the risk of cocaine-related cardiovascular events (p = 0.0086) and of heart failure hospitalizations (p = 0.0383) was significantly lower in patients who received ß-blockade than those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: ß-Blocker therapy is associated with improvement in the exercise tolerance and the left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with HFrEF and active cocaine use. They are also associated with a lower incidence of cocaine-related cardiovascular events and HFrEF-related readmissions.

Peripheral blood microRNA levels in females with cocaine use disorder.

BACKGROUND: There is growing emphasis in the field of psychiatry on the need to identify candidate biomarkers to aid in diagnosis and clinical management of addictive disorders. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small nucleotide sequences with the ability to regulate gene expression at the transcriptomic level. However, the role of miRNAs as potential biomarkers for addiction is still underexplored. Based on translational and clinical findings, we compared the expression levels of microRNA-124 (miR-124), microRNA-181 (miR-181), and microRNA-212 (miR-212) between a group of females with cocaine use disorder (CUD; n = 30) and a group of healthy female controls (HC; n = 20). METHODS: Blood expression levels of miR-124, miR-181, and miR-212 in the HC and CUD group were determined by qPCR, using two miRNAs as endogenous controls (miR-24 and miR-126). Substance use behavior was assessed by self-report using the Addiction Severity Index (ASI-6) and depressive symptoms severity was measured using the Beck Depressive Inventory (BDI-II). Urine screen test was performed to detect cocaine metabolites. RESULTS: Mir-124 and miR-181 were upregulated in the CUD group (p > 0.01). Furthermore, increased cognitive/affective depression symptoms were identified among a CUD subgroup with the higher miR-181 expression levels (p > 0.05). No significant difference in expression levels was found for miR-212. CONCLUSIONS: MiR-124 and miR-181 show promise as biomarkers for CUD when assessed in the peripheral blood. Further investigation is needed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying these associations and to validate target genes regulated by these miRNAs.