Brain Responses to Contextual Influences on Drinking Decisions

NCT04895033 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: STUDY00147117
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 52
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study is using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine brain activity associated with making decisions about drinking alcohol in everyday situations, some of which may involve important activities happening the next day. The secondary aims are to determine whether severity of alcohol-related problems is related to brain activity and alcohol choices and to examine how different areas of the brain interact in connected networks.

Conditions

Alcohol Drinking

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Alcohol demand

  Participants will report how many standard drinks they would consume at varying prices using a hypothetical Alcohol Purchase Task (APT) procedure. The APT is a validated self-report measure of alcohol consumption (in standard drink units) at escalating prices (18 price intervals, ranging from $0 to $80/drink). Responses on APT are analyzed to generate observed and derived indices of alcohol demand, including: intensity (consumption at free price); breakpoint (maximum price for spent for a single drink); Omax (maximum expenditure on alcohol); and Elasticity (proportionate slope of the alcohol demand curve)

  During 1 hour MRI scan

• Brain activation

  Blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) activity measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging

  During 1 hour MRI scan

Study Arms (1)

Responsibility vs No Responsibility

EXPERIMENTAL

Within-subjects experimental manipulation of responsibility vs. no-responsibility condition

Behavioral: Responsibility condition

Interventions

Responsibility condition BEHAVIORAL

During the fMRI scan, participants will complete alcohol purchase task paradigm for hypothetical alcohol rewards under two conditions. In the next-day responsibility condition, we will present a vignette describing a drinking scenario in which participants have a significant activity the next day (e.g., a work, family, or academic obligation the next morning) and participants are asked to imagine they are deciding how much they want to drink in this situation. The control condition will use a vignette describing a typical drinking scenario with no explicit responsibilities the next day

Responsibility vs No Responsibility

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 21 Years - 55 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• years of age;
• current heavy alcohol drinking in the past three months, as indicated by reporting consumption of 14 or more drinks per week for men or 7 or more drinks per week for women and at least one heavy drinking episode weekly (5+/4+ drinks in a single occasion for males/females);
• belong to a category with significant responsibilities, such as being currently employed, a current student, or a caregiver with significant responsibilities;
• speak English;
• normal or corrected to normal vision and hearing;
• able to give informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• currently engaged in treatment or seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems;
• major psychiatric illness (psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder);
• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Version-5 substance use disorder (except nicotine);
• attending any in-person session with a positive breath alcohol concentration (BrAC \> 0.00%);
• any contraindications for MRI scanning (e.g., metal in body surgically or accidentally including pacemaker, cochlear implants, aneurysm clips, shrapnel, etc.);
• history of seizures or anti-seizure medication;
• history of concussion or other significant brain injury;
• serious medical illness unsuitable for the MRI scanner based on best clinical judgment

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Kansas Medical Center: lead
• University of Kansas: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment

Lawrence, Kansas, 66045, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Alcohol Drinking

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Drinking Behavior; Behavior

Study Officials

• Michael Amlung, PhD

  University of Kansas

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: The study uses a within-subjects design with all participants completing the no-responsibility and responsibility conditions.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 12, 2021
• First Posted: May 20, 2021
• Study Start: February 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: July 31, 2025
• Study Completion: July 31, 2025
• Last Updated: November 14, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Time Frame: Data will be posted at conclusion of study
• Access Criteria: Data will be publicly available to researchers who create an account on neurovault.org

Locations

US (1)