Perceived Social IsolationPhase 2NCT02826577
Effects of Pregnenolone on Perceived Social Isolation
A Phase 2 study testing Pregnenolone 175mg and Pregnenolone 400mg in people with Perceived Social Isolation, run by University of Chicago at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
No studies to date have examined the effects of pregnenolone on hypervigilance for social threat in individuals with perceived social isolation (PSI). We therefore are conducting a double-blind randomized research study combining three validated behavioral paradigms on social threat attention, perception of others… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 21 to 80 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Perceived Social Isolation
- What is being tested?
- Pregnenolone 175mg and Pregnenolone 400mg
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 34 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 May 2017to 21 Dec 2022
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
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 21 to 80 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age 21-80
- At least a score of 42 on the UCLA Loneliness scale.
- Right handed
- Normal or corrected eye sight
Who cannot join
- Medical history of cancer
- Steroid use
- Psychotropic drugs
- History of heart irregularities
- Have a counter indication to EEG
- Age <21 or >32
Show all 17Show fewer
- Score less than 42 on UCLA loneliness scale
- Left handed
- Meet MINI criteria for anything but untreated major depressive disorder
- Uncorrected vision
- Current or past neurological disorder including epilepsy or traumatic brain injury
- Have a counter indication to electrical neuroimaging
- Under hormonal therapy (including, but not limited to, testosterone)
- Unstable mental illness
- History of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or psychotic disorder
- Current or recent (past 3 months) substance use or dependence
- Currently taking any medications that may have unfavorable interactions with pregnenolone
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Effects of Pregnenolone on Perceived Social Isolation: A Double-blind Randomized Electrical Neuroimaging Study
No studies to date have examined the effects of pregnenolone on hypervigilance for social threat in individuals with perceived social isolation (PSI). We therefore are conducting a double-blind randomized research study combining three validated behavioral paradigms on social threat attention, perception of others, and emotion regulation with high-density electrical neuroimaging to probe the neuro-circuitry of social threat processing in young adults high in perceived social isolation two hours after the oral administration of 175mg pregnenolone (N = 24), 400mg of pregnenolone (N = 24), or placebo (N = 24). Such research has the potential to yield important insights into the neurobehavioral mechanisms of pregnenolone on hypervigilance for social threat and perception of others--- a first key step toward the development of adjunctive pregnenolone therapy in individuals with PSI.
- Conditions
- Perceived Social Isolation
- Being tested
- Pregnenolone 175mg, Pregnenolone 400mg, Placebo
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Pregnenolone 175mgDrug
Single Dose 175mg
Pregnenolone 400mgDrug
Single Dose 400mg
PlaceboDrug
Single Dose
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Pregnenolone 175mg | Active comparator | - Single dose of 175mg Receives: Drug: Pregnenolone 175mg |
| Pregnenolone 400mg | Active comparator | - Single dose of 400mg Receives: Drug: Pregnenolone 400mg |
| Placebo | Placebo comparator | - Single dose of placebo Receives: Drug: Placebo |
| Matched healthy controls | No intervention | - No intervention |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
EEG Results
Evoked Brain Potentials (measured brain response that is the direct result of a specific cognitive event). Change from baseline EEG results at 8 weeks. Average the electrical brain activity evoked by each type of stimuli to calculate the evoked brain potentials (any stereotyped electrophysical response to a stimulus).
Measured: 8 weeks
Secondary outcomes (1)
Eye Movement Tracking
Movements to first saccades. Change from baseline eye movement tracking results at 8 weeks.
Measured: 8 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted11 Jul 2016 (estimated)
- Study start1 May 2017
- Primary completion21 Dec 2021
- Study completion21 Dec 2022
Why it stopped: Principal Investigator left institution.
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (10)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Perceived Social IsolationStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of ChicagoThe 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
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 34 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Chicago
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Stephanie Cacioppo, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Chicago
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02826577
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 16-0834
- Status last verified
- May 2024
- First submitted
- 1 Jul 2016
- Last updated
- 16 May 2024
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- Yes
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Cacioppo S, Cacioppo JT. Why may allopregnanolone help alleviate loneliness? Med Hypotheses. 2015 Dec;85(6):947-52. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2015.09.004. Epub 2015 Sep 5.
PubMed 26365247Cacioppo S, Capitanio JP, Cacioppo JT. Toward a neurology of loneliness. Psychol Bull. 2014 Nov;140(6):1464-504. doi: 10.1037/a0037618. Epub 2014 Sep 15.
PubMed 25222636Pibiri F, Nelson M, Guidotti A, Costa E, Pinna G. Decreased corticolimbic allopregnanolone expression during social isolation enhances contextual fear: A model relevant for posttraumatic stress disorder. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Apr 8;105(14):5567-72. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0801853105. Epub 2008 Apr 7.
PubMed 18391192Porcu P, O'Buckley TK, Leslie Morrow A, Adinoff B. Differential hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activation of the neuroactive steroids pregnenolone sulfate and deoxycorticosterone in healthy controls and alcohol-dependent subjects. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2008 Feb;33(2):214-26. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2007.11.003. Epub 2007 Dec 21.
PubMed 18096321Rasmusson AM, Pinna G, Paliwal P, Weisman D, Gottschalk C, Charney D, Krystal J, Guidotti A. Decreased cerebrospinal fluid allopregnanolone levels in women with posttraumatic stress disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2006 Oct 1;60(7):704-13. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.03.026. Epub 2006 Aug 24.
PubMed 16934764Crowley SK, O'Buckley TK, Schiller CE, Stuebe A, Morrow AL, Girdler SS. Blunted neuroactive steroid and HPA axis responses to stress are associated with reduced sleep quality and negative affect in pregnancy: a pilot study. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2016 Apr;233(7):1299-310. doi: 10.1007/s00213-016-4217-x. Epub 2016 Feb 9.
PubMed 26856852Gross JJ, John OP. Individual differences in two emotion regulation processes: implications for affect, relationships, and well-being. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003 Aug;85(2):348-62. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.85.2.348.
PubMed 12916575Marx CE, Keefe RS, Buchanan RW, Hamer RM, Kilts JD, Bradford DW, Strauss JL, Naylor JC, Payne VM, Lieberman JA, Savitz AJ, Leimone LA, Dunn L, Porcu P, Morrow AL, Shampine LJ. Proof-of-concept trial with the neurosteroid pregnenolone targeting cognitive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2009 Jul;34(8):1885-903. doi: 10.1038/npp.2009.26. Epub 2009 Apr 1.
PubMed 19339966Pinna G, Costa E, Guidotti A. Fluoxetine and norfluoxetine stereospecifically and selectively increase brain neurosteroid content at doses that are inactive on 5-HT reuptake. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2006 Jun;186(3):362-72. doi: 10.1007/s00213-005-0213-2. Epub 2006 Jan 24.
PubMed 16432684van Broekhoven F, Verkes RJ. Neurosteroids in depression: a review. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2003 Jan;165(2):97-110. doi: 10.1007/s00213-002-1257-1. Epub 2002 Nov 6.
PubMed 12420152
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 16 May 2024. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Pregnenolone on Perceived Social Isolation: A Double-blind Randomized Electrical Neuroimaging Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02826577
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 16-0834
- Conditions
- Perceived Social Isolation
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- TerminatedReason stopped: Principal Investigator left institution.
- Enrolment
- 34 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of ChicagoUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 May 2017 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 21 Dec 2021 (actual)
- Study completion
- 21 Dec 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 11 Jul 2016 (estimated)
- Results
- Posted 16 May 2024
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
No studies to date have examined the effects of pregnenolone on hypervigilance for social threat in individuals with perceived social isolation (PSI). We therefore are conducting a double-blind randomized research study combining three validated behavioral paradigms on social threat attention, perception of others, and emotion regulation with high-density electrical neuroimaging to probe the neuro-circuitry of social threat processing in young adults high in perceived social isolation two hours after the oral administration of 175mg pregnenolone (N = 24), 400mg of pregnenolone (N = 24), or placebo (N = 24). Such research has the potential to yield important insights into the neurobehavioral mechanisms of pregnenolone on hypervigilance for social threat and perception of others--- a first key step toward the development of adjunctive pregnenolone therapy in individuals with PSI.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 4
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Pregnenolone 175mg | Active comparator | Drug: Pregnenolone 175mg- Single dose of 175mg |
| Pregnenolone 400mg | Active comparator | Drug: Pregnenolone 400mg- Single dose of 400mg |
| Placebo | Placebo comparator | Drug: Placebo- Single dose of placebo |
| Matched healthy controls | No intervention | –- No intervention |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 21 to 80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Age 21-80
- At least a score of 42 on the UCLA Loneliness scale.
- Right handed
- Normal or corrected eye sight
Key exclusion criteria (17 listed)
- Medical history of cancer
- Steroid use
- Psychotropic drugs
- History of heart irregularities
- Have a counter indication to EEG
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Pregnenolone 175mgSingle Dose 175mg | Drug | Pregnenolone 175mg |
| Pregnenolone 400mgSingle Dose 400mg | Drug | Pregnenolone 400mg |
| PlaceboSingle Dose | Drug | Placebo |
Primary outcome
EEG Results
Time frame: 8 weeks
Evoked Brain Potentials (measured brain response that is the direct result of a specific cognitive event). Change from baseline EEG results at 8 weeks. Average the electrical brain activity evoked by each type of stimuli to calculate the evoked brain potentials (any stereotyped electrophysical response to a stimulus).
1 secondary outcome
Eye Movement Tracking
Time frame: 8 weeks
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 16 May 2024.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Background: PubMed 26365247Cacioppo S, Cacioppo JT. Why may allopregnanolone help alleviate loneliness? Med Hypotheses. 2015 Dec;85(6):947-52. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2015.09.004. Epub 2015 Sep 5.
- Background: PubMed 25222636Cacioppo S, Capitanio JP, Cacioppo JT. Toward a neurology of loneliness. Psychol Bull. 2014 Nov;140(6):1464-504. doi: 10.1037/a0037618. Epub 2014 Sep 15.
- Background: PubMed 18391192Pibiri F, Nelson M, Guidotti A, Costa E, Pinna G. Decreased corticolimbic allopregnanolone expression during social isolation enhances contextual fear: A model relevant for posttraumatic stress disorder. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Apr 8;105(14):5567-72. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0801853105. Epub 2008 Apr 7.
- Background: PubMed 18096321Porcu P, O'Buckley TK, Leslie Morrow A, Adinoff B. Differential hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activation of the neuroactive steroids pregnenolone sulfate and deoxycorticosterone in healthy controls and alcohol-dependent subjects. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2008 Feb;33(2):214-26. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2007.11.003. Epub 2007 Dec 21.
- Background: PubMed 16934764Rasmusson AM, Pinna G, Paliwal P, Weisman D, Gottschalk C, Charney D, Krystal J, Guidotti A. Decreased cerebrospinal fluid allopregnanolone levels in women with posttraumatic stress disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2006 Oct 1;60(7):704-13. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.03.026. Epub 2006 Aug 24.
- Background: PubMed 26856852Crowley SK, O'Buckley TK, Schiller CE, Stuebe A, Morrow AL, Girdler SS. Blunted neuroactive steroid and HPA axis responses to stress are associated with reduced sleep quality and negative affect in pregnancy: a pilot study. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2016 Apr;233(7):1299-310. doi: 10.1007/s00213-016-4217-x. Epub 2016 Feb 9.
- Background: PubMed 12916575Gross JJ, John OP. Individual differences in two emotion regulation processes: implications for affect, relationships, and well-being. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003 Aug;85(2):348-62. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.85.2.348.
- Background: PubMed 19339966Marx CE, Keefe RS, Buchanan RW, Hamer RM, Kilts JD, Bradford DW, Strauss JL, Naylor JC, Payne VM, Lieberman JA, Savitz AJ, Leimone LA, Dunn L, Porcu P, Morrow AL, Shampine LJ. Proof-of-concept trial with the neurosteroid pregnenolone targeting cognitive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2009 Jul;34(8):1885-903. doi: 10.1038/npp.2009.26. Epub 2009 Apr 1.
- Background: PubMed 16432684Pinna G, Costa E, Guidotti A. Fluoxetine and norfluoxetine stereospecifically and selectively increase brain neurosteroid content at doses that are inactive on 5-HT reuptake. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2006 Jun;186(3):362-72. doi: 10.1007/s00213-005-0213-2. Epub 2006 Jan 24.
- Background: PubMed 12420152van Broekhoven F, Verkes RJ. Neurosteroids in depression: a review. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2003 Jan;165(2):97-110. doi: 10.1007/s00213-002-1257-1. Epub 2002 Nov 6.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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.
Stephanie Cacioppo, PhD principal investigator
University of Chicago
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 2 study testing Pregnenolone 175mg and Pregnenolone 400mg in people with Perceived Social Isolation, run by University of Chicago 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 4 inclusion and 17 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: stopped early, as of the sponsor's last update on 16 May 2024. 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. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. 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 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 16 May 2024). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
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.
What does the primary outcome measure?
EEG Results (time frame: 8 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02826577, which also lists 10 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 16 May 2024.