Imaging and Genetic Investigation of Learning and Decision Making

NCT01950377 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 13019013-M-0190
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 78
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Background: \- Previous research has shown that dopamine, a brain chemical, is involved in decision making. Different genes influence how much dopamine people have in their brains and how that affects their behavior. Researchers will study if genes associated with dopamine affect decision making and impulsiveness. All participants will take tests; some will have brain images taken. Researchers will study the test responses and images; they will look for how differences in these genes affect different types of decision making. Objectives: \- To see if genes involved in a brain chemical, dopamine, are related to impulsiveness on behavioral tests. Eligibility: \- Healthy adults ages 18 to 55. Design:

• Participants will be screened with a medical history and physical exam.
• All participants in this study will have at least 1 outpatient visit to the NIH Clinical Center. Each visit will last 2 4 hours. At the first visit:
• A blood sample will be taken only from participants that have not been previously enrolled in 95-M-0150
• Participants will be given tests of their memory, attention, concentration, and thinking.
• Some participants will have a second visit. It will be scheduled as soon as possible after the first. At the second visit:
• Participants will have an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). They will have to lie in a scanner for up to 2 hours. The MRI uses magnets, radio waves, and computers to produce detailed pictures of the brain.
• Participants will repeat the tests from the first visit. Some will be done during the MRI.

Conditions

Polymorphism- Genetic; Reward Mediating System

Keywords

Dopamine Transporter; D2 Dopamine Receptor Subtype; Dopamine; Dopamine Genes; Dopaminergic Mechanisms; Natural History

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Outcome measures include performance in the behavioral tasks, effects in the magnetic resonance imaging data, and the genotype of individual participants.

  Outcome measures include performance in the behavioral tasks, effects in the magnetic resonance imaging data, and the genotype of individual participants.

  ongoing

Study Arms (1)

Healthy Adults

Healthy adults healthy adults - male and female

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 50 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy Volunteers

You may qualify if:

• Subjects will be eligible for this study if they:
• are between 18 and 55 years of age
• are in good physical health
• speak English well enough to understand task instructions clearly

You may not qualify if:

• Subjects will not be eligible for this study if they:
• have a major medical (e.g. heart disease), neurological (e.g. stroke) or psychiatric (e.g. bipolar disorder) illness
• have a vision and/or hearing problem that interferes with testing
• currently use any psychotropic medication, antidepressants, steroids or opiates
• currently use alcohol in excess of 14 drinks/week for males or 7 drinks/week for females.
• have a lifetime history of or currently have alcohol or substance use or dependence (excluding nicotine) that requires independent, concurrent treatment intervention (such as, antabuse or opiate treatment). This does not include self-help group treatment/intervention.
• cannot understand the consent and procedures or cannot consent themselves to the study
• Smoke more than a half pack of cigarettes a day
• NIMH employees and staff and their immediate family members will be excluded from the study per NIMH policy.
• Female subjects who are pregnant or have a positive pregnancy test 24 hours prior to an experiment will be excluded from neuroimaging studies.
• All subjects will be questioned prior to MRI scanning for possible occupational exposure to metal slivers or shavings, which may have become accidentally lodged in the tissues of the head or neck. Subjects with surgical clips or shrapnel in or near the brain or blood vessels, subjects with cochlear implants, subjects with any metallic body in the eye or CNS, and subjects with any form of implant wire or metal device which may concentrate radiofrequency fields will be excluded from MRI scanning experiments because of possible risks during MRI scanning. Those whose history is suggestive of such a problem will also be excluded from the MRI portion of the experiments. They may still participate in the behavioral experiments.
• Subjects unable to lie flat on their back for up to 2 hours or who are uncomfortable in small close spaces (have claustrophobia) will not be eligible to participate in MRI scans.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): lead

Study Sites (1)

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike

Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

Location

Related Links

• NIH Clinical Center Detailed Web Page

Study Officials

• Bruno B Averbeck, Ph.D.

  National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: OTHER
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: NIH
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 21, 2013
• First Posted: September 25, 2013
• Study Start: February 11, 2014
• Primary Completion: February 10, 2018
• Study Completion: March 5, 2020
• Last Updated: January 24, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-01

Locations

US (1)