Alcoholism: Emotion and Thinking

Terminated

• Conditions: Alcoholism
• Interventions: Procedure: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI); Behavioral: Interviews, cognitive tests, and emotional measurements

• Registration Number: NCT00300638
• Lead Sponsor: Boston University

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether long-term chronic alcoholism is associated with changes in emotional functioning and brain structure and function.

Detailed Description

This research investigates brain structure and function in alcoholics compared to healthy nonalcoholic individuals. Alcoholics have shown impairments in cognitive processing of emotional signals. Some alcoholics are impaired in social skills, and many are unable to implement the strategies for interpersonal interactions that they recommend for themselves. For example, alcoholics have difficulty interpreting non-verbal emotional cues and recognizing facial expressions of emotion. When listening to sentences, alcoholics also have some difficulty judging emotional intonations and emotional content. In our research, we are trying to understand where in the brain these emotional behaviors take place, and whether or not the brain functions differently for alcoholic and nonalcoholic individuals. We present emotional words and pictures on a computer screen, and using MRI scans, we observe how the brain works when people purposefully respond to the words and pictures. Additionally, we are comparing brain structure and activation patterns in men and women, because there may be gender differences in responses to emotional stimuli.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2001-08
• Study First Submitted: 2006-03-07
• Study First Submitted QC: 2006-03-07
• Study First Posted: 2006-03-09
• Primary Completion: 2020-02-21
• Study Completion: 2020-02-21
• Status Verified: 2021-07
• Last Update Submitted: 2021-07-15
• Last Update Posted: 2021-07-21

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: TERMINATED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 599

Inclusion Criteria

• Male and female right-handed people 25 years of age or older.
• Participants either will have a past Diagnostic and Statistical Manual version IV (DSM-IV) diagnosis of alcohol dependence, or no such history at all.
• Participants will have signed an informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

• Pregnant women.
• Shrapnel or other metal in body (dental fillings OK)

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
1- MRI and interviews	Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)	In our research, we are trying to understand where in the brain these emotional behaviors take place, and whether or not the brain functions differently for alcoholic and nonalcoholic individuals. We present emotional words and pictures on a computer screen, and using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans, we observe how the brain works when people purposefully respond to the words and pictures. Interviews, cognitive tests, and emotional measurements will also be done. Additionally, we are comparing brain structure and activation patterns in men and women, because there may be gender differences in responses to emotional stimuli.
1- MRI and interviews	Interviews, cognitive tests, and emotional measurements	In our research, we are trying to understand where in the brain these emotional behaviors take place, and whether or not the brain functions differently for alcoholic and nonalcoholic individuals. We present emotional words and pictures on a computer screen, and using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans, we observe how the brain works when people purposefully respond to the words and pictures. Interviews, cognitive tests, and emotional measurements will also be done. Additionally, we are comparing brain structure and activation patterns in men and women, because there may be gender differences in responses to emotional stimuli.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Alcoholism's effects on thinking, behavior and brain functioning	several visits over approximately one month

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

VA Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital; 🇺🇸 Boston, Massachusetts, United States