Measuring the Neuroimmune Response to Alcohol

NCT04251221 | Completed Early Phase 1 Results FDA Drug

• 2 other identifiers: 20000244441U54AA027989-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 14
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study uses positron emission tomography imaging of the 18-kDa translocator protein to measure the brain's immune response to alcohol.

Conditions

Alcohol Drinking

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Percent Change in [11C]PBR28 Distribution Volume After Alcohol Challenge.

  This is the percent change in \[11C\]PBR28 distribution volume (V\_T) post-alcohol relative to baseline. This is calculated as \[V\_T(Post-Alcohol) - V\_T(Baseline)\]/V\_T(Baseline) As a percent change, it could range from -10% to 200%.

  The post-alcohol imaging scan start will begin between one and fours hours after the oral alcohol challenge is completed. The total scan time for each imaging scan is 120 minutes long.

Study Arms (2)

Moderate Drinkers

EXPERIMENTAL

Aim 1: A baseline PET scan with \[11C\]PBR28, a TSPO-specific radioligand, will be conducted with moderate drinkers. Next, subjects will drink a fixed alcohol dose, followed a post-alcohol \[11C\]PBR28 PET scan timed to capture acute neuroimmune response. \[11C\]PBR28 distribution volumes (VT), which are proportional to TSPO number, will be measured throughout the brain. We will test the hypothesis that acute alcohol robustly increases \[11C\]PBR28 VT, consistent with microglial activation. The percent change in \[11C\]PBR28 VT (ΔVT) from baseline will quantify the magnitude of neuroimmune response.

Drug: Oral Alcohol Challenge

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

EXPERIMENTAL

Aim 2: AUD subjects will participate in the study design described in Aim 1 (a baseline \[11C\]PBR28 PET scan, drink a fixed alcohol dose, followed by a post-alcohol \[11C\]PBR28 PET scans). The magnitude of neuroimmune response, quantified by ΔVT, will be compared between moderate drinkers and individuals with AUD to test the hypothesis that the neuroimmune response to alcohol is greater in those with AUD compared to moderate drinkers, consistent with the concept of alcohol 'priming microglia'.

Drug: Oral Alcohol Challenge

Interventions

Oral Alcohol Challenge DRUG

Subjects will drink an alcohol dose designed to achieve a BAL of 0.08

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD); Moderate Drinkers

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 21 Years - 50 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Men and women, aged 21-50 years
• Willing and able to give voluntary written informed consent
• Able to read and write English and communicate effectively with the investigators, and comply with all study requirements, restrictions, and directions of the clinic staff
• AUD Subjects will meet DSM-5 criteria for current Alcohol Use Disorder
• Moderate Drinkers will report consuming alcohol on at least one occasion in the past three months that would result in an estimated blood alcohol level greater than 100 mg/dl but not meet DSM-5 criteria for AUD. This is to ensure that subjects have prior drinking exposure consistent with levels proposed in this study. Prospective subjects will be asked to recall the heaviest two days of drinking in the previous three months. Using this information, approximate BAC will be calculated for those prior episodes.
• Medically healthy upon physical examination and laboratory testing.

You may not qualify if:

• Individuals whom the investigators deem may not be able to comply with alcohol abstinence for 48 hours prior to study day.
• Current significant medical condition such as neurological, cardiovascular, endocrine, renal, liver, or thyroid pathology.
• History of or current neurological or significant psychiatric disorder such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (DSM-5 Axis 1).
• Other substance use disorder with the exception of nicotine dependence in smokers as assessed with the SCID or positive urine screen for drugs of abuse.
• Participants with any significant current medical conditions that would contraindicate the consumption of alcohol, such as history of neurological trauma or diseases, seizures, delirium or hallucinations, hepatic, or other unstable medical conditions.
• Current suicidal or homicidal intent or behavior, or history of suicidal or homicidal behavior.
• No barbiturates or other known microsomal enzyme induces or inhibitors in the past month.
• History of significant head trauma.
• Women who are pregnant or nursing or fail to use one of the following methods of birth control unless she or partner is surgically sterile or she is postmenopausal (hormone contraceptives \[oral, implant, injection, patch, or ring\], contraceptive sponge, double barrier \[diaphragm or condom plus spermicide\], or IUD).
• Regular or current significant use of any prescription, herbal or illegal psychotropic medications (e.g., antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, ecstasy) in the past 6 mo, with no current illegal drug use confirmed by urine toxicology (except for cocaine and marijuana when relevant).
• Have MRI-incompatible implants and other contraindications for MRI, such as a pacemaker, artificial joints, non-removable body piercings, claustrophobia, etc.
• Subjects with history of prior radiation exposure for research purposes within the past year such that participation in this study would place them over FDA limits for annual radiation exposure. This guideline is an effective dose of 5 rem received per year.
• Subjects with current, past or anticipated exposure to radiation in the work place within one year of proposed research PET scans.
• Subjects with history of IV drug use which would prevent venous access for PET tracer injection.
• Blood donation within eight weeks of the start of the study

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Yale University: lead
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Yale University

New Haven, Connecticut, 06511, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Alcohol Drinking

Interventions

Ethanol

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Drinking Behavior; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Alcohols; Organic Chemicals

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Dr. Ansel Hillmer
• Organization: Yale University

ansel.hillmer@yale.edu

203-737-6400

Study Officials

• Ansel T Hillmer, Ph.D.

  Yale University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: early phase 1
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging and of Psychiatry

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 30, 2020
• First Posted: January 31, 2020
• Study Start: June 20, 2019
• Primary Completion: November 20, 2021
• Study Completion: November 20, 2021
• Last Updated: November 7, 2023
• Results First Posted: November 7, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)