Brain Blood Flow Responses to Stress: Sex Differences

Phase 4

Recruiting

• Conditions: Cerebrovascular Disorders
• Interventions: Drug: Indomethacin; Drug: Placebo; Drug: Orilissa; Drug: Testosterone gel; Drug: Estradiol; Drug: Anastrozole

• Registration Number: NCT06253702
• Lead Sponsor: University of Wisconsin, Madison

Brief Summary

Twenty-six otherwise healthy adults between 18-40 years of age composed of 13 males and 13 females will be enrolled in this study to determine how sex and sex hormones influence cerebral blood flow (CBF) control in healthy young adults without confounds of age or disease. Participants can expect to be on study for approximately 16 days.

Detailed Description

Objective: To determine cerebrovascular control mechanisms in humans and provide mechanistic knowledge to offer new sex-specific therapeutic options for cerebrovascular diseases. The current objective is to determine how sex and sex hormones influence CBF control in healthy young adults without confounds of age or disease.
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Basic Information
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Recruitment & Eligibility
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Study & Design
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Trial Locations

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2023-06-13
• Study First Submitted: 2024-02-02
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-02-02
• Study First Posted: 2024-02-12
• Status Verified: 2024-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-04-22
• Last Update Posted: 2024-04-23
• Primary Completion: 2025-03-31
• Study Completion: 2026-05-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 26

Inclusion Criteria

• Age between ≥18 - ≤40 years inclusive
• Completed Phase 1: Study 2020-0336

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Exclusion Criteria

• Hypertensive

  • > 125 mmHg systolic blood pressure; or
  • > 80 mmHg diastolic blood pressure

• BMI ≥25 kg/m2

• Fasting blood glucose ≥100 mg/dl

• LDL cholesterol ≥130 mg/dl

• Triglycerides ≥150 mg/dl

• Current diagnosis or history of:

  • peripheral vascular disease
  • hepatic disease
  • renal disease
  • lung disease
  • gastrointestinal disorders/bleeding
  • hematologic disease
  • stroke
  • myocardial infarction
  • coronary heart disease
  • congestive heart failure
  • heart surgery
  • prediabetes
  • diabetes mellitus (type 1, type 2, MODY, or others)
  • sleep apnea
  • hypertension
  • some autoimmune diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease or systemic lupus erythematosus (exclusion at discretion of reviewing MD)

• Current smoking, defined as the use of tobacco or nicotine products >5 times in the past 30 days.

• Cardiovascular medication use

• NSAID sensitivity

• Magnesium-restricted diet

• Any contraindications of having an MRI

  • (e.g. the requirement of anxiolytics in order to complete an MRI scan)

• Irregular menstrual cycle (females only)

• Medical conditions that can affect the menstrual cycle, such as hyperprolactinemia, prolactinoma, hypercortisolemia, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia (females only)

• Pregnancy, breast feeding, or plans to conceive within the next 3 months (females only)

• Polycystic ovary syndrome (females only)

• Hirsutism defined as unwanted and/or excessive hair growth on the face, chest, or back (females only)

• Levonorgestrel intrauterine device (IUD) (females only)

• Hormonal birth control will not be allowed in women, in order to control for high variability between type, dose, and route of therapy. However, in discussion with Dr. Davis (Co-I) and Dr. Laura Cooney M.D., physician experts in medical and reproductive endocrinology and infertility, there are two broad exceptions to this birth control criteria:

  • Copper intrauterine devices (IUDs) will be allowed as they do not change systemic sex hormone levels).
  • Women currently taking hormonal birth control (i.e. contraceptive pills, patch, ring) for contraception only (not for a medical condition such as those listed in exclusion criteria above) may consider temporarily stopping to become eligible for enrollment. Hormonal birth control must be stopped at least one month prior to Study Visit 1 to provide time for menstruation to resume. Then stoppage continues through the last planned study visit. Screening information will be reviewed by endocrinology physicians to determine eligibility and timing on this issue.

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: FACTORIAL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Indo First: Hormone Suppression	Placebo	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to first set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone suppression.
Placebo First: Hormone Add-Back	Placebo	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to second set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone add-back.
Placebo First: Hormone Suppression	Placebo	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to first set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone suppression.
Placebo First: Hormone Add-Back	Testosterone gel	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to second set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone add-back.
Indo First: Hormone Add-Back	Placebo	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to second set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone add-back.
Indo First: Hormone Add-Back	Testosterone gel	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to second set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone add-back.
Indo First: Hormone Suppression	Indomethacin	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to first set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone suppression.
Placebo First: Hormone Add-Back	Anastrozole	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to second set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone add-back.
Placebo First: Hormone Suppression	Indomethacin	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to first set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone suppression.
Placebo First: Hormone Suppression	Orilissa	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to first set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone suppression.
Placebo First: Hormone Suppression	Estradiol	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to first set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone suppression.
Placebo First: Hormone Add-Back	Estradiol	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to second set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone add-back.
Placebo First: Hormone Add-Back	Indomethacin	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to second set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone add-back.
Indo First: Hormone Suppression	Orilissa	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to first set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone suppression.
Placebo First: Hormone Add-Back	Orilissa	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to second set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone add-back.
Indo First: Hormone Add-Back	Indomethacin	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to second set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone add-back.
Indo First: Hormone Add-Back	Estradiol	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to second set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone add-back.
Indo First: Hormone Add-Back	Orilissa	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to second set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone add-back.
Indo First: Hormone Add-Back	Anastrozole	Participants drug (placebo vs Indo) are randomized prior to second set of MRI visits, while experiencing hormone add-back.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Cerebral Blow Flow (CBF): Hormone Suppression Hypoxia Condition	first set of study visits (up to 2 hours) within the first 7 days on study	Hypoxia condition will be measured twice via MRI during the first set of study visits under hormone suppression. Reported here is the CBF under hypoxia for the placebo group as compared to the CBF under hypoxia for the Indo group.
Cerebral Blow Flow: Hormone Suppression Hypercapnia Condition	first set of study visits (up to 2 hours) within the first 7 days on study	Hypercapnia condition will be measured twice via MRI during the first set of study visits under hormone suppression. Reported here is the CBF under hypercapnia for the placebo group as compared to the CBF under hypercapnia for the Indo group.
Cerebral Blow Flow: Hormone Add-Back Hypoxia Condition	second set of study visits (up to 2 hours) within 12-16 days on study	Hypoxia condition will be measured twice via MRI during the second set of study visits under hormone add-back. Reported here is the CBF under hypoxia for the placebo group as compared to the CBF under hypoxia for the Indo group.
Cerebral Blow Flow: Hormone Add-Back Hypercapnia Condition	second set of study visits (up to 2 hours) within 12-16 days on study	Hypercapnia condition will be measured twice via MRI during the first set of study visits under hormone add-back. Reported here is the CBF under hypercapnia for the placebo group as compared to the CBF under hypercapnia for the Indo group.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Wisconsin; 🇺🇸 Madison, Wisconsin, United States