Investigation of Cocaine Addiction Using mGluR5 PET and fMRI

Summary

The proposed research program will investigate the changes in brain chemistry and circuitry that 're-wire' the brain during chronic cocaine use, promote relapse, and complicate treatment efforts. Currently-using and non-treatment-seeking individuals with a cocaine use disorder will undergo a cocaine self-administration paradigm 2-5 days prior to completing positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Conditions

• Cocaine Dependence

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Psychiatric and Cognitive Testing

Interviews, questionnaires, and computer testing.

DRUG

Cocaine Self-adminstration

The intervention will include a training and safety session that consists of physician/nurse-administered cocaine followed by a self-regulated cocaine administration period under carefully controlled and closely monitored conditions.

RADIATION

Positron Emission Tomography

PET scans will be performed on a High Resolution Research Tomograph (HRRT), the highest resolution human brain scanner available. Antecubital venous catheters will be used for IV administration of the radiotracer and for venous blood sampling. A radial artery catheter may also be inserted by an experienced physician before the PET scan. At the beginning of each scan, the participants's head will be immobilized and a 6-minute transmission scan, using an orbiting 137Cs point-source, is obtained and used for attenuation correction. PET scans will be acquired using bolus or bolus plus constant infusion administration of \[18F\]FPEB.

OTHER

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Structural and functional MRI data will be acquired using a Siemens Trio TIM 3.0T system at the Yale Magnetic Resonance Research Center. High-resolution structural MRI data will be acquired to facilitate analysis of PET data and may be used in additional analysis of tissue volume and brain structure. Resting-state and task-based functional MRI data will be acquired using state-of-the-art multiband echo-planar imaging (EPI) gradient-echo sequences. Diffusion-weighted MRI data will also be acquired using multiband imaging sequences to investigate anatomical connectivity.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

  collaborator NIH

• Yale University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Patrick Worhunsky, PhD · Assistant Professor

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

60 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2018-02-26

Primary Completion

2022-08-18

Completion

2022-08-18

FDA Drug

Yes

Countries

• United States

Study Locations