Pharmaco-Neuroimaging Studies of Approach/Avoidance Behaviors and Post-Mortem Studies: Pharmacological Manipulation
NCT ID: NCT05232032
Last Updated: 2025-11-06
Study Results
The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.
Basic Information
Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.
RECRUITING
PHASE2
112 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2025-02-01
2025-12-31
Brief Summary
Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.
Detailed Description
Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.
Conditions
See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.
Study Design
Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.
RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
BASIC_SCIENCE
TRIPLE
Study Groups
Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.
Participants with MDD or an anxiety disorder receiving the nociceptin receptor antagonist
After a diagnostic interview (determining the presence of MDD or an anxiety disorder) and collection of blood for Orphanin FQ/Nociceptin assays, participants will receive the nociceptin receptor antagonist. Participants will then complete an approach/avoidance task. Functional magnetic resonance imagining (fMRI) will begin 2 hours after the nociceptin receptor antagonist is administered.
Nociceptin Receptor Antagonist
Participants in the experimental arms will receive 40 mg of the nociceptin receptor antagonist. Peak concentrations are achieved 2-4 hours post-administration.
Aversive stimuli
As part of the approach/avoidance task, electrotactile stimulation will be used. The aversive stimulus is delivered in the form of a mild half-second stimulation to the ankle, calibrated to a subjective threshold that is uncomfortable but not painful. This stimulation is delivered by Digitimer DS8R Constant Current Stimulator (Digitimer North America, LLC. Ft. Lauderdale, FL). Its previous model, DS71, has been safely implemented in studies within Massachusetts General Hospital (Milad et al., 2013).
Participants with MDD or an anxiety disorder receiving the placebo
After a diagnostic interview (determining the presence of MDD or an anxiety disorder) and collection of blood for Orphanin FQ/Nociceptin assays, participants will receive the placebo. Participants will then complete an approach/avoidance task. fMRI will begin 2 hours after the placebo is administered.
Aversive stimuli
As part of the approach/avoidance task, electrotactile stimulation will be used. The aversive stimulus is delivered in the form of a mild half-second stimulation to the ankle, calibrated to a subjective threshold that is uncomfortable but not painful. This stimulation is delivered by Digitimer DS8R Constant Current Stimulator (Digitimer North America, LLC. Ft. Lauderdale, FL). Its previous model, DS71, has been safely implemented in studies within Massachusetts General Hospital (Milad et al., 2013).
Healthy controls receiving the nociceptin receptor antagonist
After a diagnostic interview (determining healthy control status) and collection of blood for Orphanin FQ/Nociceptin assays, participants will receive a nociceptin receptor antagonist. Participants will then complete an approach/avoidance task. fMRI will begin 2 hours after the nociceptin receptor antagonist is administered.
Nociceptin Receptor Antagonist
Participants in the experimental arms will receive 40 mg of the nociceptin receptor antagonist. Peak concentrations are achieved 2-4 hours post-administration.
Aversive stimuli
As part of the approach/avoidance task, electrotactile stimulation will be used. The aversive stimulus is delivered in the form of a mild half-second stimulation to the ankle, calibrated to a subjective threshold that is uncomfortable but not painful. This stimulation is delivered by Digitimer DS8R Constant Current Stimulator (Digitimer North America, LLC. Ft. Lauderdale, FL). Its previous model, DS71, has been safely implemented in studies within Massachusetts General Hospital (Milad et al., 2013).
Healthy controls receiving the placebo
After a diagnostic interview (determining healthy control status) and collection of blood for Orphanin FQ/Nociceptin assays, participants will receive the placebo. Participants will then complete an approach/avoidance task. fMRI will begin 2 hours after the placebo is administered.
Aversive stimuli
As part of the approach/avoidance task, electrotactile stimulation will be used. The aversive stimulus is delivered in the form of a mild half-second stimulation to the ankle, calibrated to a subjective threshold that is uncomfortable but not painful. This stimulation is delivered by Digitimer DS8R Constant Current Stimulator (Digitimer North America, LLC. Ft. Lauderdale, FL). Its previous model, DS71, has been safely implemented in studies within Massachusetts General Hospital (Milad et al., 2013).
Interventions
Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.
Nociceptin Receptor Antagonist
Participants in the experimental arms will receive 40 mg of the nociceptin receptor antagonist. Peak concentrations are achieved 2-4 hours post-administration.
Aversive stimuli
As part of the approach/avoidance task, electrotactile stimulation will be used. The aversive stimulus is delivered in the form of a mild half-second stimulation to the ankle, calibrated to a subjective threshold that is uncomfortable but not painful. This stimulation is delivered by Digitimer DS8R Constant Current Stimulator (Digitimer North America, LLC. Ft. Lauderdale, FL). Its previous model, DS71, has been safely implemented in studies within Massachusetts General Hospital (Milad et al., 2013).
Other Intervention Names
Discover alternative or legacy names that may be used to describe the listed interventions across different sources.
Eligibility Criteria
Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.
Inclusion Criteria
* Written informed consent
* For MDD subjects, a baseline Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score \> 16 (17-item version)
* Right-handed
* Has a smartphone (iPhone or Android) (needed for Ecological Momentary Assessment)
* Absence of any psychotropic medications for at least 2 weeks (6 weeks for fluoxetine, 6 months for neuroleptics, 2 weeks for benzodiazepines, 2 weeks for any other antidepressants)
* Absence of medical, neurological, and psychiatric illness (including alcohol and substance abuse), as assessed by subject history and a structured clinical interview (diagnosed using the SCID-5)
* Written informed consent
* Right-handed
* Absence of any medications for at least 3 weeks
* Has a smartphone (iPhone or Android) (needed for Ecological Momentary Assessment)
Exclusion Criteria
* Pregnant women or women of childbearing potential who are not using a medically accepted means of contraception
* Serious or unstable medical illness, including cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, respiratory, endocrine, neurologic or hematologic disease
* History of seizure disorder
* History or current diagnosis of any of the following DSM-IV psychiatric illnesses: organic mental disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, psychotic disorders not otherwise specified, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, patients with mood congruent or mood incongruent psychotic features, substance dependence, substance abuse within the last 12 months (with the exception of cocaine or stimulant abuse; which will lead to exclusion)
* History of cocaine or stimulant use (e.g., amphetamine, cocaine, methamphetamine)
* History of use of dopaminergic drugs (including methylphenidate)
* History or current diagnosis of dementia
* Patients with mood congruent or mood incongruent psychotic features
* Current use of other psychotropic drugs
* Clinical or laboratory evidence of hypothyroidism
* Patients with a lifetime history of electroconvulsive therapy
* Failure to meet standard magnetic resonance imaging safety requirements
* Abnormal ECG and lab results
* History of seizure disorder or currently on anticonvulsants
18 Years
45 Years
ALL
Yes
Sponsors
Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
NIH
Massachusetts General Hospital
OTHER
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
OTHER
University of Washington
OTHER
Brown University
OTHER
Mclean Hospital
OTHER
Responsible Party
Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.
Diego Pizzagalli
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, McLean Hospital
Principal Investigators
Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.
Diego Pizzagalli, Ph.D.
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
Mclean Hospital
Locations
Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.
Mclean Hospital
Belmont, Massachusetts, United States
Countries
Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.
Central Contacts
Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.
Facility Contacts
Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.
Ethan Zhang, BA
Role: primary
David Crowley, ALM
Role: backup
Other Identifiers
Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.
2024P002715
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id