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HealthyPhase 1NCT00014027

Effect of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Cardiovascular and Motor Responses Under Stress

A Phase 1 study testing Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic acid in people with Healthy, run by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This research study is designed to find out if increasing the dietary intake of polyunsaturated fats improves concentration, motor skills and cardiovascular responses under stress. These polyunsaturated fats may also change the chemicals in the brain that control these responses. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Healthy
What is being tested?
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic acid
How many people
97 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
4 Apr 2001to 11 Apr 2008
Phase
Phase 1
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • A primary diagnosis of alcohol dependence within the last three months.
  • Male or female research participants with a Coccaro Lifetime History of Aggression score of 20 or more.
  • Reported consumption of seafood no greater than twice per week.
  • Age of 18 years or older.
  • Must have been sober for 21-60 days.
  • Laboratory history and physical exam findings that are without significant abnormalities (significant abnormality would include laboratory deviations that require medical intervention or that indicate a major medical disorder).
  • EKG and chest X-ray are without clinically significant abnormalities as determined by the physician interpreting the studies.
  • Educational level and degree of understanding that is sufficient to provide informed consent, sign the consent forms and to allow for clear and intelligent communication between research participant, investigators and staff.

Who cannot join

  • Lifetime history of an axis I psychiatric disorders specifically psychotic, schizophrenic, bipolar affective disorder type I or eating disorders or premenstrual phase dysphoric disorder. Major depression, depressive disorder NOS, panic and other anxiety disorders are not exclusionary. Axis II personality disorders are not exclusionary.
  • Major medical disorders or major neurological disorders.
  • Determination by the Principal Investigator that the subject's use of prescription or illicit drugs within the last six months will interfere with the dependent endpoints of the study.
  • Regular use of prescription medications with psychotropic effects including side effects or medications that modify lipid metabolism, within the last month. Use of NSAIDS, aspirin or Tylenol not more than five times total per week, will be allowed.
  • Current psychotherapy to reduce aggression or depression.
  • Extensive use of home remedies, vitamins or nutritional supplements within three months. Use of multi-vitamins one time per day will be allowed.
Show all 10Show fewer
  • Pacemaker or other metal implants, which might be a contraindication for a MRI, scan.
  • Laboratory tests which indicate presence of the HIV.
  • Pregnancy.
  • Allergy to fish or seafood.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike

    Bethesda, Maryland, 20892

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and the Neurochemistry of Cardiovascular and Behavioral Responses in Aggressive Alcoholics

This research study is designed to find out if increasing the dietary intake of polyunsaturated fats improves concentration, motor skills and cardiovascular responses under stress. These polyunsaturated fats may also change the chemicals in the brain that control these responses. Specifically, these polyunsaturated fats may raise brain levels of neurotransmitters called dopamine and serotonin. Polyunsaturated fats are important for improving the function of both the brain and the heart. People cannot make these polyunsaturated fats and they can only be obtained from the oils that we eat. For three months subjects will take 8 capsules a day that contain either corn oils flavored with fish oils or fish oil that taste a little like corn oils. Subjects will not be told which oils we expect to work better. An initial evaluation will determine if subjects fit the criteria necessary to enter the study. A battery of tests will be conducted twice, once before starting the capsules and again after three months of taking the capsules. These batteries of tests will include an MRI of the head, paper and pencil tests to evaluate changes in mood, and tests of concentration and motor skills and cardiovascular responses under stress. Two lumbar punctures will be performed to collect cerebrospinal fluid so that changes in neurotransmitters can be evaluated. Subjects will be on a no seafood diet to equalize their dietary intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Subjects will be expected to complete all parts of this study.

Read the detailed description

The central aim of this protocol is to determine if the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic and (DHA) reduce aggressive behaviors among alcoholics in a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial. Aggression will be measured in a well-established behavioral test, the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm. Secondary and tertiary aims are to determine if supplementation will improve neurochemical mechanisms and cardiovascular abnormalities that are linked to the pathophysiology of aggression. A testing battery will be done before supplementation (baseline) and compared to the same battery repeated after three months of supplementation. This battery will include 1) psychometric measures (aggression, depression and impulsivity), 2) a neurochemical measure (a lumbar puncture for assessment of cerebrospinal fluid 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid [CSF 5-HIAA], a metabolite of serotonin), and 3) a measure of cardiovascular physiology (heart rate variability). The research participants will be randomized to consume four 1-gram capsules/ d containing either 1.88 grams of DHA plus EPA (active) or reference oils containing corn oil and 1% fish oil for flavor blinding (placebo). Research participants will be aggressive recovering alcoholics defined as scoring 20 or more on the Coccaro Lifetime History of Aggression Scale and who eat seafood no more than once per week. If these inexpensive nutrients reduce aggression or the related neurochemical and cardiovascular measures, these findings will be readily applicable to many aggressive populations.

Conditions
Healthy
Being tested
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), Eicosapentaenoic acid
Keywords
Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Cerebrospinal Fluid, Neurotransmitters, Cardiovascular, Reactivity, Healthy Volunteer, Lumbar Puncture, MRI

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)Drug

  • Eicosapentaenoic acidDrug

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted9 Apr 2001 (estimated)
  2. Study start4 Apr 2001
  3. Primary completion11 Apr 2008
  4. Study completion11 Apr 2008

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Enrolment
97 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00014027
Sponsor's protocol ID
010141
Other IDs
01-AA-0141
Status last verified
13 Jul 2010
First submitted
7 Apr 2001
Last updated
2 Jul 2017
Results posted
No

Publications

  • Adams PB, Lawson S, Sanigorski A, Sinclair AJ. Arachidonic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid ratio in blood correlates positively with clinical symptoms of depression. Lipids. 1996 Mar;31 Suppl:S157-61. doi: 10.1007/BF02637069.

    PubMed 8729112
  • Apter A, Plutchik R, van Praag HM. Anxiety, impulsivity and depressed mood in relation to suicidal and violent behavior. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1993 Jan;87(1):1-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1993.tb03321.x.

    PubMed 8424318
  • Akselrod S, Gordon D, Madwed JB, Snidman NC, Shannon DC, Cohen RJ. Hemodynamic regulation: investigation by spectral analysis. Am J Physiol. 1985 Oct;249(4 Pt 2):H867-75. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.1985.249.4.H867.

    PubMed 4051021

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 1 study testing Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic acid in people with Healthy, run by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 8 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Jul 2017. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00014027, which also lists 3 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 2 Jul 2017.

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