AlcoholismNCT00085865
Serotonin Transporters in Alcoholism
An observational study of Alcoholism, run by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study will compare serotonin transporter proteins in people with alcoholism and healthy volunteers to examine how these proteins may be related to the inability of people with alcoholism to appropriately regulate their alcohol consumption. Serotonin transporters regulate levels of the brain chemical serotonin. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 75 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Alcoholism
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Jun 2004to Jul 2006
- Phase
- Observational
- 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 to 75 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age: 18-75
- DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence or alcohol abuse.
- Age: 18-75
Who cannot join
- PATIENTS AND CONTROLS:
- Other current DSM-IV Axis I diagnostic criteria than alcohol dependence or alcohol abuse.
- Psychotropic medication or other drugs that may cross the blood brain barrier.
- Serious organic disease e.g. liver disease.
- Claustrophobia.
- Pregnancy.
- Prior participation in other research protocols within the past year such that a radiation exposure together with the present study would exceed the annual limits.
- Any condition that increases risk for MRI (e.g., pacemaker, metallic foreign body in the eye, etc.)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
About this study
Official title: PET Evaluation of Serotonin Transporters Using [C-11] DASB in Alcoholism
This study will compare serotonin transporter proteins in people with alcoholism and healthy volunteers to examine how these proteins may be related to the inability of people with alcoholism to appropriately regulate their alcohol consumption. Serotonin transporters regulate levels of the brain chemical serotonin. Problems in this regulation have been implicated in alcoholism.
Healthy normal volunteers and people who suffer from alcoholism who are between 18 and 75 years of age may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with a medical history and physical examination, psychiatric diagnostic interview, blood and urine tests, an electrocardiogram, urine toxicology screen, and written psychological evaluations.
Read more
Participants undergo positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning to measure serotonin transporter levels in the brain.
PET uses small amounts of a radioactive chemical called a tracer that "labels" the serotonin transporters in the brain. The tracer used in this study is [11C]DASB. For the procedure, the subject lies on the scanner bed. A special mask is fitted to the head and attached to the bed to help keep the subject's head still during the scan so the images will be clear. A brief scan is done just before the radioactive tracer is injected. This scan provides measures of the brain that will help in the precise calculation of information from subsequent scans. After the tracer is injected through a catheter (plastic tube) placed in the arm, pictures are taken for about 2 hours.
MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce pictures of brain structure. The subject lies on a bed that slides into the tube-like scanner, wearing earplugs to muffle loud noises the machine makes when the magnetic fields are switched. The scan takes about an hour, during which time the subject can communicate with the technician.
Read the detailed description
Alcoholism is characterized by the inability of individuals to regulate their consumption of alcohol appropriately. Serotonergic dysfunction has been implicated in the pathophysiology of this illness. Serotonin transporters (SERT) critically regulate the tone of serotonergic transmission (Gobbi et al 2001). In a brain imaging study using the SPECT radioligand, [123I] Beta-CIT, male alcoholics who had abstained from alcohol for more than four weeks, had significantly reduced serotonin transporters in the raphe area of the brainstem compared to healthy control subjects (Heinz et al 1998). However, the [123I] Beta-CIT ligand, binds with high affinity to both the dopamine transporter (DAT) and SERT. Binding of [123I] Beta-CIT in regions rich in SERT or DAT have been attributed to SERT and DAT respectively but in regions of mixed innervation (e.g. cortical regions), it is not possible to distinguish between SERT and DAT.
[11C]DASB is a PET ligand with high affinity for SERT with almost 1,000 fold selectivity versus DAT. Using this tracer, we will be able to measure SERT binding in cortical and subcortical brain regions including those with mixed innervation. [11C] DASB PET studies in humans (Houle et al 2000; Meyer et al 2001) indicate the feasibility of quantifying SERT binding in SERT rich regions. In the current protocol, we plan to use PET imaging with the radioligand, [11C] DASB, for serotonin transporter (SERT) to delineate regional abnormalities in SERT binding in two subject groups consisting of 30 patients with alcoholism and 30 healthy volunteers. Our goal of the present study is to further our understanding of the roles of the serotonergic systems in the pathophysiology of alcoholism.
- Conditions
- Alcoholism
- Keywords
- 5 HT, Neuroreceptors, Radiotracer, Neuroimaging, Serotonin Transporter, Alcoholism, PET, Healthy Volunteer, HV
- Medical subject headings
- Alcoholism
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted16 Jun 2004 (estimated)
- Study startJun 2004
- Study completionJul 2006
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for AlcoholismStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)The sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Enrolment
- 60 participants
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Sponsor type
- US National Institutes of Health
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00085865
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 040208
- Other IDs
- 04-M-0208
- Status last verified
- Jul 2006
- First submitted
- 15 Jun 2004
- Last updated
- 4 Mar 2008
- Results posted
- No
Publications
Fujita M, Charney DS, Innis RB. Imaging serotonergic neurotransmission in depression: hippocampal pathophysiology may mirror global brain alterations. Biol Psychiatry. 2000 Oct 15;48(8):801-12. doi: 10.1016/s0006-3223(00)00960-4.
PubMed 11063976
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 Mar 2008. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- PET Evaluation of Serotonin Transporters Using [C-11] DASB in Alcoholism
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00085865
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 040208
- Conditions
- Alcoholism
- Keywords
- 5 HT, Neuroreceptors, Radiotracer, Neuroimaging, Serotonin Transporter, Alcoholism, PET, Healthy Volunteer
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 60 participants
- Lead sponsor
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)US National Institutes of Health
- Study start
- Jun 2004
- Study completion
- Jul 2006
- First posted
- 16 Jun 2004 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study will compare serotonin transporter proteins in people with alcoholism and healthy volunteers to examine how these proteins may be related to the inability of people with alcoholism to appropriately regulate their alcohol consumption. Serotonin transporters regulate levels of the brain chemical serotonin. Problems in this regulation have been implicated in alcoholism.
Healthy normal volunteers and people who suffer from alcoholism who are between 18 and 75 years of age may be eligible for this study. Candidates are screened with a medical history and physical examination, psychiatric diagnostic interview, blood and urine tests, an electrocardiogram, urine toxicology screen, and written psychological evaluations.
Participants undergo positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning to measure serotonin transporter levels in the brain.
PET uses small amounts of a radioactive chemical called a tracer that "labels" the serotonin transporters in the brain. The tracer used in this study is [11C]DASB. For the procedure, the subject lies on the scanner bed. A special mask is fitted to the head and attached to the bed to help keep the subject's head still during the scan so the images will be clear. A brief scan is done just before the radioactive tracer is injected. This scan provides measures of the brain that will help in the precise calculation of information from subsequent scans. After the tracer is injected through a catheter (plastic tube) placed in the arm, pictures are taken for about 2 hours.
MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce pictures of brain structure. The subject lies on a bed that slides into the tube-like scanner, wearing earplugs to muffle loud noises the machine makes when the magnetic fields are switched. The scan takes about an hour, during which time the subject can communicate with the technician.
Detailed description
Alcoholism is characterized by the inability of individuals to regulate their consumption of alcohol appropriately. Serotonergic dysfunction has been implicated in the pathophysiology of this illness. Serotonin transporters (SERT) critically regulate the tone of serotonergic transmission (Gobbi et al 2001). In a brain imaging study using the SPECT radioligand, [123I] Beta-CIT, male alcoholics who had abstained from alcohol for more than four weeks, had significantly reduced serotonin transporters in the raphe area of the brainstem compared to healthy control subjects (Heinz et al 1998). However, the [123I] Beta-CIT ligand, binds with high affinity to both the dopamine transporter (DAT) and SERT. Binding of [123I] Beta-CIT in regions rich in SERT or DAT have been attributed to SERT and DAT respectively but in regions of mixed innervation (e.g. cortical regions), it is not possible to distinguish between SERT and DAT.
[11C]DASB is a PET ligand with high affinity for SERT with almost 1,000 fold selectivity versus DAT. Using this tracer, we will be able to measure SERT binding in cortical and subcortical brain regions including those with mixed innervation. [11C] DASB PET studies in humans (Houle et al 2000; Meyer et al 2001) indicate the feasibility of quantifying SERT binding in SERT rich regions. In the current protocol, we plan to use PET imaging with the radioligand, [11C] DASB, for serotonin transporter (SERT) to delineate regional abnormalities in SERT binding in two subject groups consisting of 30 patients with alcoholism and 30 healthy volunteers. Our goal of the present study is to further our understanding of the roles of the serotonergic systems in the pathophysiology of alcoholism.
Study design
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 75 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Age: 18-75
- DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence or alcohol abuse.
- Age: 18-75
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Other current DSM-IV Axis I diagnostic criteria than alcohol dependence or alcohol abuse.
- Psychotropic medication or other drugs that may cross the blood brain barrier.
- Serious organic disease e.g. liver disease.
- Claustrophobia.
- Pregnancy.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Not reported in the source record.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 4 Mar 2008.
- Background: PubMed 11063976Fujita M, Charney DS, Innis RB. Imaging serotonergic neurotransmission in depression: hippocampal pathophysiology may mirror global brain alterations. Biol Psychiatry. 2000 Oct 15;48(8):801-12. doi: 10.1016/s0006-3223(00)00960-4.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Alcoholism, run by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) 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 3 inclusion and 8 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 4 Mar 2008. 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.
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 NCT00085865, which also lists 1 linked publication.
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 4 Mar 2008.