Galantamine Effects on Cognitive Function in Marijuana Users

NCT ID: NCT00969696

Last Updated: 2012-07-25

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: PHASE1
• Total Enrollment: 29 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2009-08-31
• Study Completion Date: 2011-07-31

Brief Summary

To evaluate galantamine's effects on cognitive performance in marijuana users. Galantamine, an acetylcholine esterase inhibitor, is approved for treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Current marijuana users show impaired cognitive functioning, which predicts poor treatment response to behavioral treatments in this population. Whether cognitive impairment in marijuana users will improve with medication treatment has not been evaluated. We hypothesize that galantamine, compared to placebo, will improve cognitive performance in marijuana users.Galantamine, compared to placebo, will improve working memory, verbal learning/memory and response inhibition functions in marijuana users.

Detailed Description

To summarize, marijuana users show impaired cognitive functioning, especially in working memory and verbal learning and memory functions. Impaired cognitive functioning predicts poor treatment response in marijuana users. Whether the cognitive impairments in marijuana users improve with cholinergic enhancers has not been evaluated. In this double-blind, parallel-group study, we are proposing to evaluate galantamine's effects on cognitive performance in marijuana users. Thirty subjects will first have an adaptation session to familiarize them with the study procedures including cognitive assessment. The adaptation session will be followed by a 10-day treatment period, in which subjects will be randomized to galantamine (8 mg/day) or placebo. On Day 4 or 5 and Day 9 or10 of each treatment phase subjects will have test sessions, where a battery of cognitive tests will be administered. The cognitive test that will be administered will include the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT) modules from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB): the Rapid Visual Information Processing (RVIP) and the Stop Signal Test (SST).

Currently this study is in data analysis with 30 completers. (April 2011)

Conditions

Memory

Keywords

ability to learn, working memory

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SCREENING
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Galatamine

Galantamine is used for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease and various other memory

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Galantamine

Intervention Type: DRUG

8mg of Galantamine

Sugar Pill

Sugar Pill

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo

Intervention Type: DRUG

8Mg a day of a sugar pill

Interventions

Placebo

8Mg a day of a sugar pill

Intervention Type: DRUG

Galantamine

8mg of Galantamine

Intervention Type: DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Men and women between the ages of 18 and 55 who are dependent on or abuse marijuana, according to DSM-IV criteria;
• History of marijuana use on the average of at least twice a week over a one-month period;
• Current marijuana use, indicated by positive urine toxicology for marijuana;
• No current medical problems and normal ECG;
• For women, neither pregnant as determined by pregnancy screening nor breast feeding, and using acceptable birth control methods.

Exclusion Criteria

• Current major psychiatric illnesses including mood, psychotic, or anxiety disorders;
• Current dependence to other drugs of abuse or alcohol (except nicotine or marijuana dependence);
• History of major medical illnesses including asthma or chronic obstructive lung disease, history or current gastrointestinal ulcer, hepatic or renal impairment and cardiac rhythm disturbances or other medical conditions that the study physician deems contraindicated for the subject to be in the study;
• Use of other medications including a) drugs that slow heart rate (eg, beta-blockers),which may increase the risk of bradycardia and AV block and b) NSAIDs; increased potential for developing ulcers/active or occult gastrointestinal bleeding;
• Known allergy to galantamine

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 55 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

NIH

Sponsor Role: collaborator

US Department of Veterans Affairs

FED

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Yale University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Mehmet Sofuoglu

Principle Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Mehmet Sofuoglu, M.D., Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Yale University

Locations

Department of Veterans Affairs

West Haven, Connecticut, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

P50DA009241

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

MIREC

Identifier Type: REGISTRY

Identifier Source: secondary_id

0905005104

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id