Acute Effects of Alcohol on PET Imaging of Phosphodiesterase-4B (PDE4B)

Launched by NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH (NIMH) · Jun 18, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how drinking alcohol affects a specific protein in the brain called PDE4B, which may be involved in alcohol use disorder and other mental health conditions. Researchers want to see if alcohol changes how active this protein is by using special brain scans. Understanding this could help develop better treatments for people struggling with alcohol use.

The study is looking for healthy adults between 21 and 70 years old who drink alcohol socially but do not have an alcohol use disorder. Participants must already be part of a related research program and be generally healthy. During the study, participants will visit the clinic up to four times for brain scans. These include PET scans, which involve a small amount of a safe radioactive tracer to see brain activity, and an MRI scan, which takes detailed pictures of the brain. One PET scan will be done before drinking alcohol, and another after receiving alcohol through an IV to reach the legal driving blood alcohol level (about what you’d get from 4 or 5 drinks). The visits can be long—up to 16 hours—because participants need to stay until their alcohol level goes down. The study has specific rules about who can join, especially regarding medication use and health conditions, so not everyone will be eligible. This careful screening helps keep participants safe throughout the study.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• * INCLUSION CRITERIA:
• To be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet the following criteria:
• • 1. Be enrolled in protocol 14-AA-0181, NIAAA Natural History Protocol.
• • 2. Age 21 - 70 years.
• • 3. Willingness to complete the study including MRI tests.
• • 4. Be in good general health as evidenced by medical history and physical examination.
• • 5. Participants must have had their radial artery pulse checked for the presence of adequate ulnar collateral flow and the absence of any metal or foreign objects in both wrists.
• • 6. Able to provide informed consent.
• EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
• An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:
• • 1. History of AUD or SUD. Participants may currently use cannabis recreationally but cannot meet criteria for cannabis use disorder, or present for study visits with positive urine drug screen for THC.
• • 2. Current non-drinkers (alcohol-naive individuals or no use of alcohol in the past year), or individuals with no experience drinking 5 or more drinks on one occasion in their lifetime.
• • 3. Current or prior history of alcohol-induced flushing reactions, including rapid reddening of the face, rapid heart rate and breathing, and nausea after 1 or 2 drinks.
• • 4. Clinically significant abnormalities on EKG or laboratory tests: CBC and acute care panel (Na, K, Cl, CO2, creatinine, glucose, urea nitrogen), liver function tests (GGT, AST, ALT, bilirubin).
• • 5. Participants who have taken an antipsychotic or antidepressant medication within two weeks prior to the PET scan 1, with longer washout times of 1 month for antidepressants with longer half-lives such as fluoxetine. In addition, they will be withdrawn if they begin these medications during the two PET scans.
• 6. Medication exclusion for alcohol:
• • 6a. Use of prescription or OTC medication known to interact with alcohol 2 weeks prior to screening or screening update visit. These include but may not be limited to: isosorbide; nitroglycerine; benzodiazepines; warfarin; anti-depressants such as amitriptyline, clomipramine and nefazodone; anti-diabetes medications such as glyburide, metformin and tolbutamide; H2-antagonists for heartburn such as famotidine, cimetidine and ranitidine; muscle relaxants; anti-epileptics including phenytoin and phenobarbital; codeine and opioid analgesics including Darvocet, Percocet and hydrocodone.
• • 6b. Regular (more than once a week) or prescribed use of antihistamines, pain medicines, and anti-inflammatories such as aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, celecoxib, and naproxen, and unable to refrain from these medications for 48 hours prior to study visits
• • 6c. Use of medications known to inhibit or induce enzymes that metabolize alcohol for 4 weeks prior to screening or screening update visit. These include chlorzoxazone, isoniazid, metronidazole, and disulfiram.
• • 7) HIV infection.
• • 8) Pregnancy or breast feeding.
• • 9) Have recent exposure to radiation related to research (e.g., PET from other research) that, when combined with this study, would be above the allowable limits.
• • 10) Have an inability to lie flat and/or lie still on the camera bed for two hours, including claustrophobia, overweight greater than the maximum for the scanner, and uncontrollable behavioral symptoms, which will be screened by an interview with the participant during the screening visit.
• • 11) Are unable to have an MRI scan (e.g., because of pacemakers or other implanted electrical devices, brain stimulators, dental implants, aneurysm clips (metal clips on the wall of a large artery), metallic prostheses (including metal pins and rods, heart valves, and cochlear implants), permanent eyeliner, implanted delivery pumps, shrapnel fragments, or metal fragments in the eye