Endogenous Opiate System and Systematic Desensitization

Administered intravenous infusions to phobic patients prior to systematic desensitization. Saline-infused subjects significantly demonstrated the predicted symptom decrease in response to systematic desensitization, whereas naloxone-infused subjects showed no change. Subject reports and psychophysio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology Vol. 56; no. 2; p. 287
Main Author Egan, Kelly J
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published 1988
Subjects
Arousal Patterns
Behavior Modification
Desensitization
Drug Therapy
Outcomes of Treatment
Patients
Pharmacology
Phobia Treatment
Symptoms
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Summary:Administered intravenous infusions to phobic patients prior to systematic desensitization. Saline-infused subjects significantly demonstrated the predicted symptom decrease in response to systematic desensitization, whereas naloxone-infused subjects showed no change. Subject reports and psychophysiological measures of arousal indicated no discriminable awareness of the infusion condition. Suggests activation of the endogenous opiate system affects systematic desensitization's effectiveness. (Author/KS)