Examining the effects of domperidon on emotional responses using fMRI
Influence of Domperidon on the Experience of Emotions, Brain and Bodily Activity
This study is testing if the nausea medication domperidon can change how healthy people react to emotions while watching videos by looking at their brain activity.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 4 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 40 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 40 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | German Institute of Human Nutrition Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | radiation |
| Locations | 1 site (Potsdam, Brandenburg) |
| Trial ID | NCT06171087 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This study investigates how domperidon, a medication typically used to treat nausea, affects brain and behavioral responses to emotional stimuli presented through videos. Participants will undergo fMRI scans to observe changes in brain activity while being administered either domperidon or a placebo. The study aims to understand the relationship between dopamine levels and emotional processing in healthy individuals. By focusing on a specific age group and strict health criteria, the research seeks to ensure reliable results.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are healthy men and women aged 18-40 who are fluent in German and meet specific health criteria.
Not a fit: Patients with a history of mental health disorders, serious medical conditions, or those with dietary restrictions may not benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could enhance our understanding of how dopamine influences emotional responses, potentially leading to new treatments for emotional disorders.
How similar studies have performed: While the specific approach of using domperidon in this context may be novel, studies examining dopamine's role in emotional processing have shown promising results.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria * 18-40 years old men and women * Consent to participate * Fluent in German * Physically and mentally healthy. No regular medication * BMI 18-25 kg/m2 * Alcohol consumption less than 15 glasses a week (wine / beer, a glass of higher-percentage alcohol counts as two glasses of beer) * No illegal drug consumption in the week previous to the experiment * No smoking * No extreme athletes * No vegetarians or vegans or any other dietary restrictions due to allergies or intolerances * Normal day-night rhythm (no shift work) Exclusion criteria * Former or current illnesses of: * Brain or mind (including anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, personality disorders, alcohol, drugs or drug dependence, neurological disorders other than occasional headache, psychiatric or neurological abnormalities) * Heart or blood circulation * Gastro-intestinal or endocrine disorders * Other serious past or present medical conditions (for example, metabolic syndrome, diabetes). * Current medication and medication over a period of two weeks prior to the examination. * Other serious health problems or present strong mental or physical stress. * No current infection or excessive stress * Missing consent to receive information about incidental findings from the MRI * Tendency to claustrophobia, dizziness or panic attacks. * Wear a non-removable pacemaker, defibrillator, hearing aid, drug pump, neurostimulator or implant with solenoid valve (e.g., artificial bowel outlet). * Metal parts or implants inside the body, for example, due to surgery or injury with a metallic foreign object (e.g., hip replacements, artificial joints, heart valves, vessel occlusions or dilatations, surgical clips, bone screws or plates, coil, shunts, catheters, electrodes, coils, radiation sources, shrapnel, projectiles, stents). * Have non-removable metal parts or metal-containing devices on or in the body. * Have ferromagnetic metal parts or implants inside the body (e.g., hip replacements, artificial joints, heart valves, vessel occlusions or dilatations, surgical clips, bone screws or plates, coils, shunts, catheters, electrodes, coils, radiation sources, shrapnel, projectiles, stents) * Wearing magnetically fixed implants (e.g., amalgam fillings, glass eye). * Professionally or privately being involved in the processing of metals. * Have large tattoos (whole limbs). * Being pregnant. * Wear a intra-uterine device. * Having tinnitus. * Hypersensitivity or allergy to Domperidone or common excipients (lactose-1, corn Starch, potato starch, microcrystalline cellulose, castor oil, povidone, sodium lauryl sulfate, magnesium stearate, hypromellose)
Where this trial is running
Potsdam, Brandenburg
- German Institute of Human Nutrition — Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Ignacio Rebollo, PhD
- Email: ignacio.rebollo@dife.de
- Phone: 0049 33200 8
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.