Alcohol AbuseNCT03725345

Genetic and Neural Factors in Alcohol-Related Cognition

A study testing MRI Scanner in people with Alcohol Abuse, run by Virginia Commonwealth University 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 study examines the genetic factors that impact cognitive processes and behavior after alcohol consumption. Participation in this project will contribute to a better understanding of cognitive factors that influence alcohol misuse. Read more about this study

Who is it for?: Ages 21 to 45 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for: Alcohol Abuse
What is being tested?: MRI Scanner
Type of treatment: Lifestyle or therapy programme
Could I receive a placebo?: Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people: 9 participants
Where: 1 siteUnited States
Study dates: 11 Jul 2023to 1 Nov 2024
Phase: Interventional
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 45 years
All sexes
Healthy volunteers accepted
Adult

Who may be able to join

English speaking
No current or regular use of prescribed or illicit psychoactive drugs
Free of major health problems (e.g., diabetes, HIV, Parkinson's disease)
Free of neurological or psychiatric disorders
No current drug abuse (e.g., recreational drug use).
Right-hand dominant

Show all 11Show fewer

Free of claustrophobia
Free of pregnancy or suspected pregnancy
Absent MRI risk factors (e.g., implanted medical device, body mass index > 35, braces)
Free of medical conditions that render individuals with overly sensitive hearing
Non-naive to alcohol consumption

Who cannot join

Not meeting the inclusion criteria listed above

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site

Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, Virginia, 23298

Other trials in United States

About this study

Conditions: Alcohol Abuse
Being tested: MRI Scanner
Medical subject headings: Alcoholism

What participants receive

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

MRI ScannerBehavioural
Participants will enter the MRI scanner and complete a series of computer tasks that include noise blasts while undergoing brain scans that measure the structure and function of the brain

Study groups in NCT03725345
Study group	Role	What they receive
Alcohol Group	Active comparator	Participants who have recently consumed alcohol. Receives: Behavioral: MRI Scanner
No Alcohol Group	Sham comparator	Participants who have not recently consumed alcohol. Receives: Behavioral: MRI Scanner

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

Changes in Alcohol-influenced Behavior
Aggressive behavior (i.e., the average volume of noise blasts selected to be administered to participants' opponents) after recent consumption of an alcoholic beverages (versus without recent consumption of an alcoholic beverages) will be measured using the validated and computerized Taylor Competitive Reaction-Time Task. The Taylor Competitive Reaction-Time Task consists of multiple trials that each assess aggression, via a four-point scale that ranges from 1 (low noise blast volume [low aggression]) to 4 (high noise blast volume [high aggression]). Noise blast settings are averaged to provide a total score ranging from 1 to 4, with higher scores indicating greater aggression.
Measured: During the course of the MRI session

Timeline

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

11 Jul 20231 Nov 2024

First posted31 Oct 2018
Study start11 Jul 2023
Primary completion1 Nov 2024
Study completion1 Nov 2024

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.
Other trials for Alcohol AbuseStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
More trials run by Virginia Commonwealth UniversityThe 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 N/A
Primary purpose: Basic science
Allocation: Randomised
Intervention model: Parallel groups
Masking: Single blind
Who is masked: Participant
Enrolment: 9 participants (actual)

IDs, dates and publications

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03725345
Sponsor's protocol ID: HM20013938
Other IDs: K01AA026647
Status last verified: Dec 2025
First submitted: 29 Oct 2018
Last updated: 5 Jan 2026
Results posted: Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
FDA-regulated drug: No
FDA-regulated device: No

Study at a glance

From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 5 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.

Official title: Genetic and Neural Factors in Alcohol-Related Cognition
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03725345
Acronym / sponsor ID: HM20013938
Conditions: Alcohol Abuse
Study type: Interventional
Recruitment status: Completed
Enrolment: 9 participants (actual)
Lead sponsor: Virginia Commonwealth UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
Collaborators: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Study start: 11 Jul 2023 (actual)
Primary completion: 1 Nov 2024 (actual)
Study completion: 1 Nov 2024 (actual)
First posted: 31 Oct 2018 (actual)
Results: Posted 5 Jan 2026

Clinical summary

The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.

Study design

Primary purpose: Basic science
Allocation: Randomised
Intervention model: Parallel groups
Masking: Single blind (participant)
Number of arms: 2

Arm	Type	Receives
Alcohol Group	Active comparator	Behavioral: MRI ScannerParticipants who have recently consumed alcohol.
No Alcohol Group	Sham comparator	Behavioral: MRI ScannerParticipants who have not recently consumed alcohol.

Who may qualify

Ages: 21 to 45 years
Sex: All
Healthy volunteers: Accepted
Age groups: Adult

Key inclusion criteria (11 listed)

English speaking
No current or regular use of prescribed or illicit psychoactive drugs
Free of major health problems (e.g., diabetes, HIV, Parkinson's disease)
Free of neurological or psychiatric disorders
No current drug abuse (e.g., recreational drug use).

Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)

Not meeting the inclusion criteria listed above

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
MRI ScannerParticipants will enter the MRI scanner and complete a series of computer tasks that include noise blasts while undergoing brain scans that measure the structure and function of the brain	Behavioural	Alcohol Group, No Alcohol Group

Primary outcome

Changes in Alcohol-influenced Behavior
Time frame: During the course of the MRI session
Aggressive behavior (i.e., the average volume of noise blasts selected to be administered to participants' opponents) after recent consumption of an alcoholic beverages (versus without recent consumption of an alcoholic beverages) will be measured using the validated and computerized Taylor Competitive Reaction-Time Task. The Taylor Competitive Reaction-Time Task consists of multiple trials that each assess aggression, via a four-point scale that ranges from 1 (low noise blast volume [low aggression]) to 4 (high noise blast volume [high aggression]). Noise blast settings are averaged to provide a total score ranging from 1 to 4, with higher scores indicating greater aggression.

Results and safety

Results posted to the registry on 5 Jan 2026, as reported by the sponsor. Figures are copied from the record, not re-analysed. Full results on ClinicalTrials.gov.

Participant flow

Group	Started	Completed
Alcohol Group	5	5
No Alcohol Group	4	4

Primary outcome: Changes in Alcohol-influenced Behavior

Time frame: During the course of the MRI session. Mean (Standard Deviation). Unit: units on a scale

Measure	Alcohol Group n = 5	No Alcohol Group n = 4
Value	1.56 (.72)	1.49 (.56)

Population analysed: The results apply only to Aim 4. Aims 1-3 were covered by another protocol that did not meet the definition of a ct and were approved under a different IRB protocol #. All participants completed only one session, but within that session, they performed the loud noises task twice consecutively on the same MRI scan.It was done twice to get a more reliable answer when the two measures were combined.

Adverse events

Time frame: Duration of the one-day session, including the MRI scan and the computer tasks. The data was only collected during the one-day session.. Other adverse events reported at 0% frequency or more

Group	Serious adverse events	Other adverse events	Deaths
Alcohol Group	0 of 5 (0%)	0 of 5 (0%)	0 of 5
No Alcohol Group	0 of 4 (0%)	0 of 4 (0%)	0 of 4

Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…

Research links

Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 5 Jan 2026.
Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.

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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.

David Chester, PhD principal investigator

Virginia Commonwealth University

1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing MRI Scanner in people with Alcohol Abuse, run by Virginia Commonwealth University 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 11 inclusion and 1 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 5 Jan 2026. 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.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 5 Jan 2026). 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?

Changes in Alcohol-influenced Behavior (time frame: During the course of the MRI session). 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 NCT03725345.

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 5 Jan 2026.