Efficacy of Escitalopram in the Treatment of Internet Addiction

NCT ID: NCT00565422

Last Updated: 2008-05-28

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: PHASE4
• Total Enrollment: 31 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2002-12-31
• Study Completion Date: 2004-10-31

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study was to determine whether Lexapro (Escitalopram) is safe and effective in treating problematic internet use.

Detailed Description

Many individuals experience marked distress and functional impairments as a result of their perceived inability to control their 'non-essential' (non-job/school related) use of the Internet. Frequently these people develop a preoccupation with the Internet, a need for escape to the Internet, and increasing irritability when trying to cut back use of the Internet. There have been no studies to date looking at the effectiveness of medications in the treatment of this disorder. In our clinical experience, we find these patients with Internet addiction usually respond to serotonin reuptake inhibitors within 12 weeks. This study will examine the efficacy of escitalopram in Internet addiction among adults.

Conditions

Internet Addiction

Keywords

Internet addiction; Problematic internet use; Escitalopram; Lexapro

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Single Arm

Escitalopram

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Escitalopram

Intervention Type: DRUG

10 mg/day

Interventions

Escitalopram

10 mg/day

Intervention Type: DRUG

Other Intervention Names

Lexapro

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. Subject has signed an informed consent form

2. Current diagnosis of Internet addiction

3. Age ³ 18

4. Subject must be able to take oral medication

5. Subject may be in psychotherapy initiated at least three months prior to Screening. Subject must not discontinue or otherwise alter this therapy during the study.

6. In the opinion of the investigator, the subject is capable of complying with all study procedures.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Current suicidal or homicidal ideation

2. Subject has a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders

3. Subject has a primary diagnosis of Bipolar I disorder

4. Current pedophilia

5. Current DSM-IV diagnosis of substance dependence or abuse, excluding nicotine

6. Women of child-bearing potential who are pregnant, nursing, or not using contraception

7. Use of antidepressants at a therapeutic level for the treatment of problematic internet use within 2 weeks prior to study entry (or 4 weeks for use of MAOIs, or 6 weeks for use of fluoxetine)

8. Current use of antidepressants at a therapeutic level for the treatment of a disorder other than problematic internet use

9. Subject has any organic mental disorder

10. Clinically significant unstable medical disorder

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Forest Laboratories

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Principal Investigators

Eric Hollander, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

References

Dell'Osso B, Hadley S, Allen A, Baker B, Chaplin WF, Hollander E. Escitalopram in the treatment of impulsive-compulsive internet usage disorder: an open-label trial followed by a double-blind discontinuation phase. J Clin Psychiatry. 2008 Mar;69(3):452-6. doi: 10.4088/jcp.v69n0316.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 18312057 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

01-1174

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: secondary_id

LXP-MD-09

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id