RecruitingPhase 1

Nicotinic Receptor Genetic Variation and Alcohol Reward

United States128 participantsStarted 2019-06-10

Plain-language summary

Background: People with the brain disease AUD (alcohol use disorder) have a serious problem with drinking. Researchers want to study how different people react to alcohol, and how genes affect this. They will focus on a nicotine receptor gene that may increase a person s AUD risk. Objectives: To see if people with variations of a nicotine receptor gene take alcohol differently and have different brain responses to alcohol cues. Eligibility: Healthy adults ages 21 - 60. This study includes smokers and non-smokers. Design: Participation will be based on evaluation under the NIAAA natural history protocol (14-AA-0181) or a screening visit under this protocol. Participants will have two 9-hour visits. They must have no alcohol or non-prescription drugs before all visits and no food or drink before the first visit. At every visit, participants will: * Get a light meal * Have breath and urine tests * Get taxi rides there and back At visits 1, participants will: * Have a thin plastic tube inserted in an arm and connected to a pump for alcohol infusion. * Have sensors on their chest to monitor heart rate. * Sit in a chair for 2.5 hours and get alcohol by pushing a button. Their breath alcohol level will be monitored. * Answer questions about mood and effects of alcohol * Give blood samples * Relax at the clinic while their breath alcohol level drops At visit 2, participants will: * Answer questions and do computer tests * Have an alcoholic drink and a snack * Have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. They will lie in a machine that takes pictures of the brain. They will do computer tasks. * Have another drink and snack * Relax until their alcohol level drops Participants will have a follow-up call after each visit....

Who can participate

Age range

21 Years – 60 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Exclusion criteria

. Male and female participants between 21-60 years of age. \[assessment: identification provided to Clinical Center Admissions office\]
. Smoking status:
. Inclusion criteria for women: Use of adequate method of birth control during the study, if female is sexually active and is not surgically sterilized. Adequate methods of contraception include: use of oral contraceptives; use of barrier method of contraceptive; use of an approved IUD or other long-acting reversible contraceptive \[LARC\]; have a male sexual partner who is surgically sterilized; or have exclusively female sexual partner\[s\]. Justification: To minimize the risk of administering alcohol to pregnant women, given the known effects of alcohol exposure on fetuses. \[assessment: medical history\]
. Non-English speaking individuals. Justification: The study materials, MRI tasks and
. Current or prior history of major medical illness, including CNS, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, hepatic, renal, endocrine, or reproductive disorders. Justification: Many illnesses may alter the neuropsychological effects of alcohol as well as MRI measures. \[assessment: clinically significant findings on medical history and physical exam, ECG, laboratory tests\]

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

To examine the effect of CHRNA5 (rs16969968) genetic variation on neural correlates of incentive salience for alcohol, as measured by BOLD response during the Alcohol-Food Incentive Delay (AFID) task using fMRI.

Timeframe: 3 hours

To examine the effect of CHRNA5 (rs16969968) genetic variation on IV alcohol self-administration, as measured by BrAC exposure (peak BrAC, number of infusions, time to binge-level) in non-smoking, non-dependent drinkers.

Timeframe: 3 hours

Trial details

NCT IDNCT03294460

SponsorNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Sponsor typeNIH

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2026-12-31

Contact for this trial

Vijay A Ramchandani, Ph.D.

(301) 402-8527 vijayr@mail.nih.gov

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Alcohol Drinking trials

Plain-language summary

Who can participate

Age range

21 Years – 60 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Exclusion criteria

. Male and female participants between 21-60 years of age. \[assessment: identification provided to Clinical Center Admissions office\]
. Smoking status:
. Inclusion criteria for women: Use of adequate method of birth control during the study, if female is sexually active and is not surgically sterilized. Adequate methods of contraception include: use of oral contraceptives; use of barrier method of contraceptive; use of an approved IUD or other long-acting reversible contraceptive \[LARC\]; have a male sexual partner who is surgically sterilized; or have exclusively female sexual partner\[s\]. Justification: To minimize the risk of administering alcohol to pregnant women, given the known effects of alcohol exposure on fetuses. \[assessment: medical history\]
. Non-English speaking individuals. Justification: The study materials, MRI tasks and
. Current or prior history of major medical illness, including CNS, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, hepatic, renal, endocrine, or reproductive disorders. Justification: Many illnesses may alter the neuropsychological effects of alcohol as well as MRI measures. \[assessment: clinically significant findings on medical history and physical exam, ECG, laboratory tests\]

What they're measuring

Timeframe: 3 hours