Aberrant Synaptic Plasticity in Cocaine Use Disorder: A 11C-UCB-J PET Study

Launched by YALE UNIVERSITY · Jan 21, 2021

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking to understand how cocaine use affects the brain by measuring something called synaptic density, which refers to the connections between brain cells. Researchers want to compare individuals who have cocaine use disorder with healthy individuals who do not use cocaine. The goal is to learn more about how cocaine changes brain function, which could help develop better treatments for those struggling with addiction.

To participate in this study, you need to be between 21 and 60 years old and in good physical health. If you're a woman, you'll need to have a negative pregnancy test. People with cocaine use disorder must show signs of recent use, while healthy controls must not have used cocaine or other drugs. Participants will undergo various medical tests, including brain imaging, to help researchers gather the information they need. If you're interested in contributing to our understanding of cocaine addiction and its effects on the brain, this trial might be a great opportunity for you!

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Age 21-60 years
• • Physically healthy by medical history, physical, neurological, ECG and laboratory examinations
• • For females, a negative serum pregnancy test
• • For CUD: DSM-5 criteria for Cocaine Use Disorder and positive urine toxicology showing recent use
• • For HC: Negative urine toxicology
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • DSM-5 criteria for other substance use disorders (e.g., alcohol, opiates, sedative hypnotics), except for nicotine
• • A primary DSM-5 Axis I major psychiatric disorder (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, etc.) as determined by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5)
• • A history of significant and/or uncontrolled medical or neurological illness
• • Current use of psychotropic and/or potentially psychoactive prescription medications
• • Medical contraindications to MRI procedure