Effort and Antidepressant Study Test

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD · Nov 15, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The Effort and Antidepressant Study Test is a research trial that aims to understand how increasing serotonin levels in the brain affects decision-making and social behaviors in healthy volunteers. Specifically, the study will look at how a medication called escitalopram, which is commonly used as an antidepressant, influences people’s willingness to put in effort for themselves or to help others over a week-long period.

To join this study, participants need to be between 18 and 40 years old, right-handed, and able to understand English well enough to complete study tasks. However, there are certain conditions that would make someone ineligible, such as having a history of serious mental health issues or certain medical conditions. If eligible, participants can expect to take escitalopram for seven days and will be involved in tasks that assess their decision-making and social behavior. It's important to note that this study is not yet recruiting participants, so those interested will need to wait until it officially starts.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Participant is willing and able to give informed consent for participation in the research
• • Aged 18 to 40 years
• • Sufficient knowledge of English language to understand and complete study tasks
• • Right-handed
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Current or past probable diagnosis of psychiatric illness, according to DSM-5 criteria requiring intervention by a healthcare professional, including but not limited to psychosis, bipolar disorder, major depression, OCD, PTSD, substance abuse disorder or any eating disorder
• • Current or past diagnosis of any significant personality disorder (e.g., borderline personality disorder) according to self-report
• • Diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactive disorder or autistic spectrum disorder that impairs daily functioning, requires pharmacotherapy or in the opinion of the study medic would affect the scientific integrity of the study
• • Current use of medication that might interact with the effects of escitalopram or affect the scientific integrity of the study
• • Previous suicide attempt or previous prolonged period (eg., \> 5 days) of thought to end life
• • Known contraindication to escitalopram including: past allergic reaction to escitalopram or any other medicines, diagnosis of angle-closure glaucoma, or current use of any other medication whose use interacts with escitalopram (according to BNF guidance) e.g. associated with prolonged QT-interval
• • Any other current or past medical conditions which in the opinion of the study medic may interfere with the safety of the participant or the scientific integrity of the study including epilepsy/seizures, brain injury, hepatic or renal disease, diabetes, severe gastro-intestinal problems, Central Nervous System (CNS) tumours, neurobiological conditions
• • First-degree relative with a diagnosis of schizophrenia-spectrum or other psychotic disorder, or bipolar disorder
• • Severely underweight (BMI\<17) or very obese (BMI\>40) in a manner that renders them unsuitable for the study in the opinion of the study medic
• • Heavy use of cigarettes (smoke\>20 cigarettes per day)
• • Heavy use of caffeine (drink\>4 x 250 ml cups/cans of coffee/energy drinks per day)
• • Lactose intolerance (due to the study involving administration of a lactose placebo tablet)
• • Pregnancy (as determined by urine pregnancy test taken during the Part 2 screening visit), breast feeding or plans to become pregnant
• • Past history of dependence on illicit substances or regular illicit substances use within the previous three months
• • Evidence of current or past harmful use of alcohol
• • Previous participation in a study involving the tasks used in this study or involving use of escitalopram in the last year in the Department of Psychiatry (University of Oxford)
• • Physical (including visual and auditory) or language impairment that would make complying with the study protocol challenging.
• • Participant is unlikely to comply with the clinical study protocol or is unsuitable for any other reason, in the opinion of the investigator
• • Not suitable for MRI neuroimaging, e.g., difficulty remaining still for duration of scan
• • Any MRI contraindications outlined in FMRIB 3 Tesla scanning safety form