Effect of Social Isolation on the Role of Pavlovian Mechanisms for Control Over Alcohol Use

Launched by CHARITE UNIVERSITY, BERLIN, GERMANY · Feb 5, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how feelings of social isolation might affect the way people with alcohol use disorder (AUD) respond to alcohol-related cues. Researchers want to understand if being excluded socially can change how much control someone has over their drinking behavior. They’ve already found that stress can influence this control and are now looking to see if social exclusion has a similar effect in both individuals with AUD and those without it.

To participate in this study, you need to be between 18 and 65 years old, and if you have alcohol use disorder, you should meet specific criteria defined by mental health standards. Participants must be comfortable communicating in German and available for two consecutive afternoons. It’s important to note that certain health conditions and medications may exclude you from participating. If you join, you’ll take part in tasks designed to measure how social feelings affect your reactions to alcohol-related situations. This trial aims to gather valuable information that could help improve treatments for people struggling with alcohol use.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Males and females between 18-65 years of age,
• • AUD subjects: meet 4 or more criteria for DSM-5 alcohol-use disorder (not requiring withdrawal as assessed by an independent psychiatrist),
• • Currently using alcohol without a desire for abstinence,
• • Ability to consent to the study and complete the questionnaires.
• • Sufficient language skills: German
• • Availability between 3pm-6pm on 2 consecutive days,
• • existing health insurance
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Lifetime diagnosis according to DMS-5 for a: Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizophrenia spectrum disorder, substance dependence except for alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, and/or methamphetamine
• • Currently meeting DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for depressive episode, suicidal ideation,
• • History of traumatic brain injury or severe neurological disease (such as dementia, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis)
• • Pregnancy or breastfeeding,
• • Ingestion of medications known to interact with the CNS in the 10-day period prior to study participation or less than 4 half-lives after last ingestion (rapid urine test),
• • Color vision deficiency