Serotonin and Motor Plasticity

Phase 4

• Conditions: Healthy Controls
• Interventions: Drug: Escitalopram; Drug: Placebo

• Registration Number: NCT03162185
• Lead Sponsor: Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences

Brief Summary

With this study, the investigators aim to test whether acute administration of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) improves motor performance in a sequential motor learning task in comparison to placebo in healthy humans.

Detailed Description

Microdialysis findings in animal models provide evidence for a monoaminergic augmentation of motor function. However, this evidence is largely limited to noradrenaline and dopamine, with little evidence to support a similar effect for serotonin. What remains to be tested therefore, is whether acute serotonergic administration induces neural or behavioral changes during motor learning also. Using a sample of 60 female participants (with the possible inclusion of male participants at a later date), the investigators aim to test the effects of a serotonergic challenge on motor learning and plasticity in healthy participants.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2017-04-01
• Status Verified: 2017-05
• Study First Submitted: 2017-05-18
• Study First Submitted QC: 2017-05-19
• Last Update Submitted: 2017-05-19
• Study First Posted: 2017-05-22
• Last Update Posted: 2017-05-22
• Primary Completion: 2017-11-30
• Study Completion: 2017-11-30

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 60

Inclusion Criteria

• female
• right-handed
• healthy
• has taken oral contraceptives (ovulation inhibitor) continuously for at least 3 months
• has read and agreed to study parameters

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Exclusion Criteria

• tattoos on head or neck
• non-removable metal on or in body
• alcohol abuse
• is currently taking medication
• smokes more than 3 cigarettes per day
• positive drug test
• pregnancy
• plays an instrument professionally
• plays videogames more than 2 hours per week
• is a professional athlete
• suffers from migraines
• has taken part in another study, where motor learning skills and/or medication is a factor, in the last 3 months
• heart rhythm disorders (long QT)
• hypertension
• calcium or magnesium deficiency
• neurological disorders
• chronic metabolic disorders
• liver or kidney diseases
• immunodeficiency
• endocrine disorders
• psychiatric disorders
• tumors
• injuries to the head and brain

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Interventional group	Escitalopram	Half of the participants (n = 30) will receive 20mg of the SSRI Escitalopram.
Control group	Placebo	Half of the participants ( n= 30) will receive the placebo.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Pinch Force Task.	1 week	The primary outcome measure will be reaction time and accuracy of motor responses, as measured by the Pinch Force Task. This will be applied to both the experimental (SSRI) and control (Placebo) groups.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Max Planck Institute for Cognition and Brain Sciences; 🇩🇪 Leipzig, Saxony, Germany