Mapping the Influence of Drugs of Abuse on Risk and Reward Circuits - MDMA
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- MDMA
- Conditions
- Healthy
- Sponsor
- Stanford University
- Enrollment
- 22
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Facial Expressions of Emotion Task (FEET, nonconscious and conscious) evoked functional activity and connectivity
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 4 months ago
Overview
Brief Summary
This study is a biomarker study designed to characterize how human neural circuits and behaviors are modified during altered states induced by MDMA.
Detailed Description
The investigators will assess the effect of acute MDMA modulation on the functioning of human brain circuits. Brain circuits will be assessed using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Participants will include volunteers who report more than two prior uses of MDMA (also known as Ecstasy), when they were 18 years or older. The investigators will recruit individuals who have previously tried MDMA rather than those who are MDMA-naïve. Participants will receive an oral dose of MDMA (80mg and 120mg) and placebo (saline) at 3 separate study sessions. Following established procedures, these three sessions will be randomized in a blinded protocol in order to limit expectancy effects. Throughout each session, participants will be monitored. Functional imaging will commence after the drug has reached peak levels, following previously established time courses for MDMA administered orally. Participants will also be monitored after the functional imaging session. Secondary effects of MDMA on behavior and self-reported experience will be assessed. In the assessment of the acute effects of MDMA, the investigators will take into account the cumulative effects of prior drug exposure.
Investigators
Leanne Williams
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Stanford University
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Able to swallow capsules
- •All genders and ethno-racial categories
- •Able and willing to enroll and provide written informed consent.
- •Able to comply with study procedures.
- •2+ prior uses of MDMA when aged 18 years or older and have reported no serious adverse reactions from MDMA or ecstasy.
- •Non-nicotine user, defined as no primary nicotine exposure for last six months.
- •Agree to not use caffeine for 12 hours before and 10 hours after drug administration.
- •Not using any medication or substance that might increase the risk of participation and/or interact with MDMA (i.e., serotonergic agents, antidepressants, opiates, any drugs with known interactions with Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors).
- •Must agree to inform the investigators within 48 hours of any changes in medical conditions or procedures.
- •If of childbearing potential, must have a negative pregnancy test at study entry and prior to each drug session and must agree to use adequate birth control through 10 days after the last drug session. Adequate birth control methods include intrauterine device (IUD), injected or implanted hormonal methods, abstinence, oral hormones plus a barrier contraception, vasectomized sole partner, or double barrier contraception. Two forms of contraception are required with any barrier method or oral hormones.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Have current serious suicide risk, as determined through psychiatric interview, responses to C-SSRS, and clinical judgment of the investigator.
- •Current psychiatric, mood, anxiety, eating or psychotic disorder assessed at screening with the MINI and medical history.
- •Current use of any psychotropic medication (a wash-out period of 5 half-lives will be required prior to drug visits followed by a 1-week stabilization period, if the participant reports recently discontinuing a psychotropic medication).
- •Have used Ecstasy (material represented as containing MDMA) within 6 months of the first study dose; or have previously participated in a MAPS-sponsored MDMA clinical trial.
- •Positive for drug, or alcohol abuse disorders as assessed through DAST, CUDIT-R, Fagerstrom and AUDIT measures.
- •Positive test on urine drug screen for illicit and/or drugs of abuse at screening and prior to study drug administration.
- •Concurrent use of any medication or substance that might increase the risk of participation and/or interact with MDMA (i.e., serotonergic agents, antidepressants, opiates, any drugs with known interactions with Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors).
- •Unable or unwilling to agree to refrain from using any psychoactive substances (i.e., cannabis), supplements (i.e., St. John's Wort, SAMe, 5HTP) and nonprescription medications (i.e., dextromethorphan) starting 1-week prior to study start and for duration of study.
- •Current use of any opioids, including codeine, hydrocodone, and morphine.
- •Have an exclusionary metal device (e.g., presence of metallic device or dental braces, which are contraindications for MRI) as determined by the discretion of the Clinical Investigator.
Arms & Interventions
MDMA Within Subject Cross-over
Participants will be randomized to high-dose, low-dose, or placebo for each of the the three study sessions.
Intervention: MDMA
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Facial Expressions of Emotion Task (FEET, nonconscious and conscious) evoked functional activity and connectivity
Time Frame: up to 2 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo
For the non-conscious task, participants are shown a series of faces, presented in pairs. The first face in each pair is presented for only a fraction of a second and may be hard to see. Participants press a button every time they see a face. For the conscious task, participants do the same thing same but with a new set of faces.
Secondary Outcomes
- Resting-state functional activity and connectivity(up to 2 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- MID evoked functional activity and connectivity(up to 2 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Go-No-Go evoked functional activity and connectivity(up to 2 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Behavioral responses on the WebNeuro computerized test battery assessing cognitive capacity(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Self-reported responses as assessed by the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS)(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Self-reported responses as assessed by the 29-item Rotter's Locus of Control (RLoC)(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Self-reported responses as assessed by the 15-item Mini Brief Risk-Resilience Index for Screening (BRISC)(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Self-reported responses as assessed by the 14-item Snaith-Hamilton Please Scale (SHAPS)(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Self-reported responses as assessed by the 24-item Dimensional Apathy Scale (DAS)(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Self-reported responses as assessed by the 18-item Motivation and Pleasure Scale Self-Report (MAP-SR)(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Self-reported responses as assessed by the 17-item Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS)(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Self-reported responses as assessed by the 94-item 5-Dimensional Altered States of Consciousness Rating Scale (DASC)(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Self-reported responses as assessed by the 23-item Social Reward Questionnaire (SRQ)(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Self-administered computerized task assessed by Multifaceted Empathy Test (MET)(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Level of subjectively experienced mood and feelings as assessed by rating scale(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Self-reported responses as assessed by the 23-item Clinician Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS)(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Self-reported responses as assessed by a clinician on the 18-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS)(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Self-reported responses as assessed by the Acceptance/Avoidance-Promoting Experiences Questionnaire (APEQ)(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Self-reported responses as assessed by the MID Cue Rating(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Self-reported responses as assessed by the Face Likability Rating(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Steroid hormone assay via saliva collection(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)
- Qualitative free responses(up to 5 hours after the administration of MDMA or Placebo)