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The Effects of Losartan on Emotion Processing

Not Applicable
Conditions
Healthy
Interventions
Drug: Placebo Oral Tablet
Drug: Losartan
Registration Number
NCT04606212
Lead Sponsor
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Brief Summary

The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of losartan (50mg, single dose) on salience processing

Detailed Description

In a double-blind, between-subject, placebo-controlled design the effects of a single dose of losartan (50mg) on salience processing in healthy participants will be examined. The study will adopt a previously validated visual Oddball fMRI paradigm, starting 90 minutes after subjects receive 50mg losartan or placebo. The task requires participants to respond to emotional and novelty oddballs. Neural activity will be assessed by the acquisition of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
90
Inclusion Criteria
  • Healthy subjects without past or current psychiatric or neurological disorders
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Exclusion Criteria
  • history of head injury
  • medical or psychiatric illness
  • hypertension
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Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Placebo groupPlacebo Oral Tablet-
Losartan groupLosartan-
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Neural activity as measured by BOLD fMRI during processing of emotional and novel stimuli105 to 145 minutes after treatment administration

During the oddball paradigm a series of pictures will be presented in rapid succession. Some of the stimuli are oddballs, with respect to emotional content (highly threatening stimuli) or novelty (novel stimuli). Neural activity will be measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The fMRI data will be examined using a Generalized Linear Model approach. The analysis will examine neural activity in terms of the blood oxygenation dependent (BOLD) response towards threatening and novel oddballs. Effects of treatment on the BOLD response towards threatening and novel oddballs will be examined by comparing the losartan- and placebo-treated subjects.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Neural activity as measured by BOLD fMRI during processing of different categories of emotional and novel stimuli105 to 145 minutes after treatment administration

The oddball paradigm will include different stimulus categories (animal pictures and human faces). Each category will include oddballs, with respect to emotional content (highly threatening stimuli) or novelty (novel stimuli). Neural activity will be measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The fMRI data will be examined using a Generalized Linear Model approach. The analysis will examine neural activity differences between the stimulus categories (animal pictures, human face pictures) in terms of the blood oxygenation dependent (BOLD) response. Effects of treatment on the BOLD response towards different stimulus categories will be examined by comparing the losartan- and placebo-treated subjects.

Accuracy for target oddballs105 to 145 minutes after treatment administration

Before the paradigm two stimuli will be designated as 'target' and subjects are required to respond by button press to this target. The accuracy for target detection will be computed. Effects of treatment will be examined by comparing the losartan- and placebo-treated subjects.

Reaction times for target oddballs105 to 145 minutes after treatment administration

Before the paradigm two stimuli will be designated as 'target' and subjects are required to respond by button press to this target. The reaction times for correctly identified targets will be computed. Effects of treatment will be examined by comparing reaction times between the losartan- and placebo-treated subjects.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

🇨🇳

Chengdu, Sichuan, China

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