Plain English Summary
Background and study aims
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are considered first-line treatment in depression. However, the exact mechanism of this drug is still not fully understood today. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of a single oral dose of SSRIs on brain and behavior and compare it to placebo (dummy drug) in healthy volunteers.
Who can participate?
Female and male healthy volunteers between 20 and 30 years of age
What does the study involve?
All participants receive a single oral dose of the SSRI escitalopram and placebo. One group receives escitalopram first and then undergoes a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan 3-4 hours later. After a wash-out period of 8 weeks, this group of participants receives a placebo pill and then again undergoes MRI. A second group starts with the placebo pill and then, after 8 weeks, receives escitalopram. Neither the participants nor the experimenter will know if the participants receive the escitalopram or the placebo pill. Only after the study has finished will the experimenter learn the treatment orders. Before each MRI scan session, participants fill out questionnaires assessing depression and mood.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants receive financial compensation for taking part in the study. A single oral dose of SSRI rarely has minimal temporary side effects, such as nausea, changes in sleep, less sexual arousal, restlessnees, or headaches. MRI scanning does not have harmful effects, only rarely may participants experience circulatory problems.
Where is the study run from?
Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (Germany)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
October 2011 to April 2013
Who is funding the study?
Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences (Germany)
Who is the main contact?
Dr Julia Sacher
sacher@cbs.mpg.de
Trial website
Contact information
Type
Scientific
Primary contact
Dr Julia Sacher
ORCID ID
Contact details
Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences
Stephanstrasse 1A
Leipzig
04103
Germany
+49 (0)341 9940-2409
sacher@cbs.mpg.de
Type
Public
Additional contact
Ms Carolin Lewis
ORCID ID
Contact details
Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences
Department of Neurology
Stephanstraße 1A
Leipzig
04103
Germany
+49 7071 29-85736
lewis@cbs.mpg.de
Additional identifiers
EudraCT number
2019-003470-12
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Nil known
Protocol/serial number
NRO-080
Study information
Scientific title
Acute serotonergic modulation of intrinsic functional connectivity and function in brain regions and behaviors implicated in mood regulation - a pharmacological fMRI study in healthy volunteers
Acronym
SEROTONIN
Study hypothesis
Hypothesis 1: It is hypothesized that an acute serotonergic challenge has a large-scale impact on the intrinsic functional connectivity of most cortical and subcortical areas and is not limited to specific networks.
Hypothesis 2: It is hypothesized that an acute serotonergic challenge alters BOLD response in main areas of the reward system and explore, whether these early alterations affect only responses to punishment or responses to both reward and punishment.
Hypothesis 3: It is hypothesized that an acute serotonergic challenge alters BOLD response in amygdala and explore, whether this affects cognitive performance and emotional distraction.
Ethics approval
Approved 11/10/2010, Ethikkommission an der Medizinischen Fakultät der Universität Leipzig (ethics board of the Medical Faculty of the University of Leipzig, Käthe-Kollwitz-Straße 82, 04109 Leipzig, Germany; Tel: +49 (0)341/97 154 90; Email: ethik@medizin.uni-leipzig.de), ref: 246-2009-09112009
Study design
Single-centre double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study
Primary study design
Interventional
Secondary study design
Randomised cross over trial
Trial setting
Other
Trial type
Other
Patient information sheet
Not available in web format, please use contact details to request a participant information sheet.
Condition
Effects of the antidepressant escitalopram in healthy volunteers
Intervention
The researchers administer a single oral dose of 20 mg escitalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), or placebo to healthy participants in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design. Two treatment orders are randomly assigned to participants to ensure complete balancing of treatments. Escitalopram or placebo are administered at two different test days separated by a wash-out period of 8 weeks. At the first test day, participants undergo a baseline MRI scan before initial drug administration. For the drug MRI scans, the researchers measure participants 3-4 hours after drug administration, during peak concentration of escitalopram in blood. Scanning time is approx. 60 minutes per scan, consisting of structural MRI, resting state fMRI, and functional MRI (cognitive load task and reward task). Before each scan session, participants fill out questionnaires assessing depression (Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression) and mood (Profile of Mood states, and MOODS spectrum self-report).
Intervention type
Drug
Phase
Not Applicable
Drug names
Escitalopram
Primary outcome measure
Structural, functional, and resting-state MRI data measured during baseline, placebo, and drug sessions
Secondary outcome measures
1. Reward and punishment processing measured using a monetary reward task, which participants perform during the functional MRI scans at baseline, placebo, and drug sessions
2. Cognitive performance measured using a cognitive load task, which participants perform during the functional MRI scans at baseline, placebo, and drug sessions
Overall trial start date
11/10/2011
Overall trial end date
31/12/2018
Reason abandoned (if study stopped)
Eligibility
Participant inclusion criteria
1. 20-30 years of age
2. Naive to antidepressants
Participant type
Healthy volunteer
Age group
Adult
Gender
Both
Target number of participants
20
Total final enrolment
24
Participant exclusion criteria
1. Current or past psychiatric diagnosis as assessed with SKID-I and SKID-II interview
2. Major head trauma or neurological disease, current or in history
3. Use of psychotropic medication or of recreational drugs
4. MRI contraindications such as metal implants, claustrophobia, pregnancy
5. Smoking
6. Irregular sleep/wake rhythm (e.g., regular nightshifts or cross timeline travel)
Recruitment start date
01/11/2011
Recruitment end date
30/04/2013
Locations
Countries of recruitment
Germany
Trial participating centre
Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences
Stephanstrasse 1A
Leipzig
04103
Germany
Sponsor information
Organisation
Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences
Sponsor details
Stephanstrasse 1A
Leipzig
04103
Germany
+49 341 9940-00
info@cbs.mpg.de
Sponsor type
Research organisation
Website
Funders
Funder type
Research organisation
Funder name
Max-Planck-Institut für Kognitions- und Neurowissenschaften
Alternative name(s)
Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, MPI for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences
Funding Body Type
private sector organisation
Funding Body Subtype
other non-profit
Location
Germany
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
The publication in the publications list includes the results of this study (results for hypothesis 1). Publication of the functional imaging results (hypothesis 2 and 3) is currently ongoing - planned publication in a high-impact peer-reviewed journal.
IPD sharing statement
The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study will be stored in a repository
Type of data: Statistic maps of functional connectivity analysis
Repository name: Neurovault.org
Weblink: https://identifiers.org/neurovault.collection:190
Process for requesting access: freely available
Consent from participants: Participants gave their consent that the results of this study will be published for scientific purposes.
Data anonymization: pseudonymised
Intention to publish date
01/06/2020
Participant level data
Stored in repository
Basic results (scientific)
Publication list
2014 results in https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25242032 (added 16/12/2019)