Diazepam Served as a Positive Comparator in Mirogabalin Drug-Liking Experiments

A controlled drug-liking response is an abuse-potential endpoint, not a population misuse rate.

What the supplied source reports

Two randomized crossover studies enrolled recreational polydrug users who could distinguish active comparators from placebo. Diazepam and pregabalin served as positive comparators. Therapeutic mirogabalin doses did not significantly increase peak drug-liking ratings over placebo and produced lower ratings than the active comparators; larger doses showed a different pattern.

Limits and uncertainty

The participants were selected for experimental sensitivity, and exposures were single-dose. Ratings do not directly measure compulsive use, long-term dependence, diversion or overdose incidence. Findings at a therapeutic dose cannot be transferred to much larger doses.

Implications for forensic review

For testimony, explain why diazepam was included and what the scale measures. A positive comparator helps demonstrate assay sensitivity; it does not establish that every patient experiences the same reward or will misuse the drug. Clinical prescribing and behavioral risk require additional individual evidence.

Source and related reading

Source reviewed: Abuse potential of mirogabalin in recreational polydrug users (PMC6452577). Forensic applications above are interpretive analysis of the supplied publication.