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Hormonal Mechanisms of Sleep Restriction - Axis Study in Older Men and Postmenopausal Women

Early Phase 1
Active, not recruiting
Conditions
Sleep Restriction
Interventions
Registration Number
NCT04037605
Lead Sponsor
Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to 1) determine how hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) activation occurs with sleep restriction and 2) evaluate how hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG axis) deactivation occurs with sleep restriction. The investigator will also examine the cognitive function associated with sleep restriction, including food intake and food cravings.

Detailed Description

Sleep restriction and its consequences are major public health problems, especially in older adults. Among the more severe physiological sequelae of sleep restriction is the development of insulin resistance. The mechanisms by which sleep restriction leads to increased insulin resistance are unknown, especially in vulnerable older adults; such research informs development of targeted interventions against the sleep loss/insulin resistance link.

This study will administer drugs to clamp the function of each of these nodes to determine the regulatory changes that have occurred with sleep restriction. Even though the study is randomized order in design, the main comparison is before and after sleep restriction under each of these clamp conditions. Participants are admitted to the chronobiology laboratory where they are given 1 night of 10 hours sleep opportunity, followed by 4 nights of 4 hours sleep opportunity.

Up to 40 participants can be enrolled. However, participants will be allowed an opportunity to be randomized to all 4 conditions so that as few as 10 participants may be required. We anticipate 5 men and 5 women will be enrolled assuming each undergoes all 4 clamp conditions.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
5
Inclusion Criteria
  • Men or postmenopausal women aged 60-80 years
  • Willingness to provide written informed consent
  • Stable weight over preceding 6 weeks
  • Body Mass index (BMI) 22-28 kg/m2
  • Physically and psychologically healthy
  • Good habitual sleep with regular bedtimes
  • Neither extreme morning- nor extreme evening-type using Horne-Ostberg Morningness-Eveningness criteria
Exclusion Criteria
  • Medications that interfere with the adrenal or gonadal axis will be excluded
  • Unable or unwilling to provide IRB (Internal Review Board)-approved informed consent
  • Clinical disorders and/or illnesses
  • Current medical or drug treatment, as assessed by questionnaire
  • History of brain injury or of learning disability
  • Vision or hearing impairment unless corrected back to normal
  • Anemia (Hct <38%)
  • History of psychiatric illness
  • Clinically significant abnormalities in blood and urine, and free of traces of drugs
  • Other endocrine abnormalities including hypothyroidism or adrenal failure; primary gonadal disease as indicated by serum LH (luteinizing hormone) or FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) concentration >10 or >15 IU/L, respectively, hyperprolactinemia indicated by prolactin >25ug/L
  • Type 2 Diabetes (HgbA1C)
  • Current smoker
  • Recent or concurrent drug or alcohol abuse
  • Blood donation in previous eight weeks
  • Travel across time zones within one month of entering the study
  • Sleep or circadian disorder
  • Shift work within three months of entering the study
  • Irregular bedtimes (not between 6 and 10 hours in duration)
  • Unoperated obstructive uropathy, recurrent prostatitis, indeterminate prostatic nodularity, Hx or Suspicion of cancer of the prostate gland or PSA (prostate-specific antigen) >4ng/ml
  • Previous adverse reaction to sleep deprivation or any of the drugs to be administered
  • Concurrent participation in another research study
  • Mini- mental state examination (MMSE) < 27

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
CROSSOVER
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Control ConditionGonadorelin (also known as Lutrepulse)8 am - Saline Solution for Injection 10 am - Placebo oral capsule 1 pm - Saline Solution for Injection 4 pm - Placebo oral capsule \& start hourly blood sampling 7 pm- Gonadorelin (GnRH) and Corticorelin (CRH) injections 9 pm - Saline Solution for Injection \& last blood sample
Control ConditionPlacebo oral tablet8 am - Saline Solution for Injection 10 am - Placebo oral capsule 1 pm - Saline Solution for Injection 4 pm - Placebo oral capsule \& start hourly blood sampling 7 pm- Gonadorelin (GnRH) and Corticorelin (CRH) injections 9 pm - Saline Solution for Injection \& last blood sample
Control ConditionSaline Solution8 am - Saline Solution for Injection 10 am - Placebo oral capsule 1 pm - Saline Solution for Injection 4 pm - Placebo oral capsule \& start hourly blood sampling 7 pm- Gonadorelin (GnRH) and Corticorelin (CRH) injections 9 pm - Saline Solution for Injection \& last blood sample
Control ConditionSaline solution for injection8 am - Saline Solution for Injection 10 am - Placebo oral capsule 1 pm - Saline Solution for Injection 4 pm - Placebo oral capsule \& start hourly blood sampling 7 pm- Gonadorelin (GnRH) and Corticorelin (CRH) injections 9 pm - Saline Solution for Injection \& last blood sample
Hypothalamic ConditionGonadorelin (also known as Lutrepulse)8 am -Ganirelix 10 am - Placebo oral capsule 1 pm - Dexamethasone injection 4 pm- Placebo oral capsule and start of hourly blood sampling 7 pm - GnRH and CRH injections 9 pm - Saline Solution for Injection and last sample blood sample
Hypothalamic ConditionPlacebo oral tablet8 am -Ganirelix 10 am - Placebo oral capsule 1 pm - Dexamethasone injection 4 pm- Placebo oral capsule and start of hourly blood sampling 7 pm - GnRH and CRH injections 9 pm - Saline Solution for Injection and last sample blood sample
Pituitary ConditionGonadorelin (also known as Lutrepulse)8 am - Saline Solution for Injection 10 am - Ketoconazole Pill 1 pm - Saline Solution for Injection 4 pm - Ketoconazole Pill \& start of hourly blood sampling 7 pm - GnRH and CRH 9 pm - Hydrocortisone Injection and last blood sample
Pituitary ConditionCorticorelin (also known as Acthrel)8 am - Saline Solution for Injection 10 am - Ketoconazole Pill 1 pm - Saline Solution for Injection 4 pm - Ketoconazole Pill \& start of hourly blood sampling 7 pm - GnRH and CRH 9 pm - Hydrocortisone Injection and last blood sample
Hypothalamic ConditionSaline solution for injection8 am -Ganirelix 10 am - Placebo oral capsule 1 pm - Dexamethasone injection 4 pm- Placebo oral capsule and start of hourly blood sampling 7 pm - GnRH and CRH injections 9 pm - Saline Solution for Injection and last sample blood sample
Pituitary ConditionKetoconazole Pill (also known as nizoral)8 am - Saline Solution for Injection 10 am - Ketoconazole Pill 1 pm - Saline Solution for Injection 4 pm - Ketoconazole Pill \& start of hourly blood sampling 7 pm - GnRH and CRH 9 pm - Hydrocortisone Injection and last blood sample
Pituitary ConditionSaline Solution8 am - Saline Solution for Injection 10 am - Ketoconazole Pill 1 pm - Saline Solution for Injection 4 pm - Ketoconazole Pill \& start of hourly blood sampling 7 pm - GnRH and CRH 9 pm - Hydrocortisone Injection and last blood sample
Adrenal/Testis ConditionRecombinant Human Luteinizing Hormone (also known as luveris)10 pm - Ganirelix Injection \& Dexamethasone Pills (night before) 8 am - Start of hourly blood sampling 10 am - Dexamethasone Pills 11 am - Last hourly blood sample taken 11:30 am - Start of blood sampling every 10 minutes 1 pm - Recombinant Human Luteinizing Hormone (rhLH) Injection 3 pm - rhLH Injection 5 pm - rhLH Injection 5 pm - Cosyntropin Injectable product 7 pm - GnRH and CRH Injections 9 pm - Last blood sample
Adrenal/Testis ConditionGonadorelin (also known as Lutrepulse)10 pm - Ganirelix Injection \& Dexamethasone Pills (night before) 8 am - Start of hourly blood sampling 10 am - Dexamethasone Pills 11 am - Last hourly blood sample taken 11:30 am - Start of blood sampling every 10 minutes 1 pm - Recombinant Human Luteinizing Hormone (rhLH) Injection 3 pm - rhLH Injection 5 pm - rhLH Injection 5 pm - Cosyntropin Injectable product 7 pm - GnRH and CRH Injections 9 pm - Last blood sample
Control ConditionCorticorelin (also known as Acthrel)8 am - Saline Solution for Injection 10 am - Placebo oral capsule 1 pm - Saline Solution for Injection 4 pm - Placebo oral capsule \& start hourly blood sampling 7 pm- Gonadorelin (GnRH) and Corticorelin (CRH) injections 9 pm - Saline Solution for Injection \& last blood sample
Hypothalamic ConditionDexamethasone injection8 am -Ganirelix 10 am - Placebo oral capsule 1 pm - Dexamethasone injection 4 pm- Placebo oral capsule and start of hourly blood sampling 7 pm - GnRH and CRH injections 9 pm - Saline Solution for Injection and last sample blood sample
Hypothalamic ConditionCorticorelin (also known as Acthrel)8 am -Ganirelix 10 am - Placebo oral capsule 1 pm - Dexamethasone injection 4 pm- Placebo oral capsule and start of hourly blood sampling 7 pm - GnRH and CRH injections 9 pm - Saline Solution for Injection and last sample blood sample
Adrenal/Testis ConditionDexamethasone Pill10 pm - Ganirelix Injection \& Dexamethasone Pills (night before) 8 am - Start of hourly blood sampling 10 am - Dexamethasone Pills 11 am - Last hourly blood sample taken 11:30 am - Start of blood sampling every 10 minutes 1 pm - Recombinant Human Luteinizing Hormone (rhLH) Injection 3 pm - rhLH Injection 5 pm - rhLH Injection 5 pm - Cosyntropin Injectable product 7 pm - GnRH and CRH Injections 9 pm - Last blood sample
Adrenal/Testis ConditionCosyntropin Injectable Product10 pm - Ganirelix Injection \& Dexamethasone Pills (night before) 8 am - Start of hourly blood sampling 10 am - Dexamethasone Pills 11 am - Last hourly blood sample taken 11:30 am - Start of blood sampling every 10 minutes 1 pm - Recombinant Human Luteinizing Hormone (rhLH) Injection 3 pm - rhLH Injection 5 pm - rhLH Injection 5 pm - Cosyntropin Injectable product 7 pm - GnRH and CRH Injections 9 pm - Last blood sample
Adrenal/Testis ConditionCorticorelin (also known as Acthrel)10 pm - Ganirelix Injection \& Dexamethasone Pills (night before) 8 am - Start of hourly blood sampling 10 am - Dexamethasone Pills 11 am - Last hourly blood sample taken 11:30 am - Start of blood sampling every 10 minutes 1 pm - Recombinant Human Luteinizing Hormone (rhLH) Injection 3 pm - rhLH Injection 5 pm - rhLH Injection 5 pm - Cosyntropin Injectable product 7 pm - GnRH and CRH Injections 9 pm - Last blood sample
Pituitary ConditionHydrocortisone Injection (also known as solu-cortef)8 am - Saline Solution for Injection 10 am - Ketoconazole Pill 1 pm - Saline Solution for Injection 4 pm - Ketoconazole Pill \& start of hourly blood sampling 7 pm - GnRH and CRH 9 pm - Hydrocortisone Injection and last blood sample
Hypothalamic ConditionGanirelix8 am -Ganirelix 10 am - Placebo oral capsule 1 pm - Dexamethasone injection 4 pm- Placebo oral capsule and start of hourly blood sampling 7 pm - GnRH and CRH injections 9 pm - Saline Solution for Injection and last sample blood sample
Adrenal/Testis ConditionGanirelix10 pm - Ganirelix Injection \& Dexamethasone Pills (night before) 8 am - Start of hourly blood sampling 10 am - Dexamethasone Pills 11 am - Last hourly blood sample taken 11:30 am - Start of blood sampling every 10 minutes 1 pm - Recombinant Human Luteinizing Hormone (rhLH) Injection 3 pm - rhLH Injection 5 pm - rhLH Injection 5 pm - Cosyntropin Injectable product 7 pm - GnRH and CRH Injections 9 pm - Last blood sample
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Average Blood Testosterone Concentration5 days

Testosterone is measured in blood every 10 minutes for a 5 hour period, at the beginning and at the end of 4 nights of sleep restriction. The average cortisol is the parameter of interest.

Average Blood Cortisol Concentration5 days

Cortisol is measured in blood every 10 minutes for a 5 hour period, at the beginning and at the end of 4 nights of sleep restriction. The average cortisol is the parameter of interest.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Peak Blood Cortisol Concentration5 days

This is the single maximal blood cortisol concentration that is measured during the entire 5 hour period, at the beginning and at the end of 4 nights of sleep restriction.

Trough Blood Testosterone Concentration5 days

This is the single minimal blood testosterone concentration that is measured during the entire 5 hour period, at the beginning and at the end of 4 nights of sleep restriction.

Reaction time on Psychomotor Vigilance Task5 days

This is measured by lapses in attention. As the person becomes more sleepy, there are more lapses (reaction time \>500 ms), at the beginning and at the end of 4 nights of sleep restriction.

Karolinska Sleepiness Scale5 days

Measures how sleepy participants are using a scale of 1 (extremely alert) through 9. This scale will be used to assess changes in sleepiness throughout the day and through 4 nights of sleep restriction.

Peak Blood Testosterone Concentration5 days

This is the single maximal blood testosterone concentration that is measured during the entire 5 hour period, at the beginning and at the end of 4 nights of sleep restriction.

Trough Blood Cortisol Concentration5 days

This is the single minimal blood cortisol concentration that is measured during the entire 5 hour period, at the beginning and at the end of 4 nights of sleep restriction.

Two card gambling task5 days

Computerized neurobehavioral testing to determine how 4 nights of sleep restriction affects participants' decision making. The end point is discriminability index, d'.

Modified Sternberg working memory test5 days

Computerized neurobehavioral testing to determine how 4 nights of sleep restriction affects reaction time and accuracy.

Caloric Intake5 days

The food given to participants is weighed. The amount that is not consumed is also weighed. The difference in weight is the amount of calories consumed.

Hunger5 days

Hunger levels are assessed using the Flint visual analogue scale (VAS) to assess how 4 nights of sleep restriction affects participants' appetite.The Flint VAS asks the participant to rate 8 aspects of their hunger level on a scale from 1-5.

Food Cravings5 days

Food cravings are measured using the Food Cravings Index (FCI) scale to assess which food groups each participant has cravings for and how their cravings change during 4 nights of sleep restriction. The participant ranks their craving for 33 food items on a scale from 1-5.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute

🇺🇸

Torrance, California, United States

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