Exploring how opioids influence social experiences and brain activity
Understanding How Opioids Affect the Experiential and Neural Signatures of Social Experiences
This study is testing how a medication called naltrexone affects people's feelings of social connection and mood, while also looking at brain activity during social interactions.
Quick facts
| Phase | Early Phase 1 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 210 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 25 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | San Diego State University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (San Diego, California) |
| Trial ID | NCT05007561 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This study investigates the effects of the opioid antagonist naltrexone on social experiences and neural responses. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either naltrexone or a placebo for seven days, during which they will report their feelings of social connection and mood. On the final day, participants will undergo fMRI scanning to assess brain activity in response to social connection tasks. The goal is to understand how opioids may alter social interactions and emotional responses in a naturalistic setting.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are healthy adults who are fluent in English and willing to engage in social connection tasks.
Not a fit: Patients with chronic mental or physical illnesses, or those currently using opioid analgesics, may not benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could enhance our understanding of opioid effects on social behavior, potentially informing treatment strategies for opioid use disorders.
How similar studies have performed: While studies on opioids and social behavior exist, this specific approach using fMRI to assess neural signatures is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * good health * English fluency * willing to provide contact information for 4-6 close others * willing to provide digital photographs of 2 close others * own a smartphone Exclusion Criteria: * presence of medical devices, implants, or other metal objects in or on the body that cannot be removed * tattooed eyeliner * a body habitus prohibiting MRI scanning * claustrophobia * self-reported chronic mental or physical illness * current and regular use of prescription medication * previous history of having difficulty taking pills * current use of opioid analgesics * depressive symptoms above a 9 on Patient Health Questionnaire * excessive alcohol use * positive urine drug test * body mass index (BMI) greater than 35 * pregnancy or plans to become pregnant in next 6 months * positive urine pregnancy test
Where this trial is running
San Diego, California
- San Diego State University — San Diego, California, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Tristen Inagaki, PhD — San Diego State University
- Study coordinator: Tristen Inagaki, PhD
- Email: tinagaki@sdsu.edu
- Phone: 6195941058
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.