Mapping Brain Glutamate in Humans: Sex Differences in Cigarette Smokers (NCT05279053) | Clinical Trial Compass
CompletedNot Applicable
Mapping Brain Glutamate in Humans: Sex Differences in Cigarette Smokers
United States58 participantsStarted 2021-04-01
Plain-language summary
The proposed study evaluated sex differences in glutamate (Glu), with a focus on the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), anterior insula, and thalamus, as well as how it is influenced by sex (males vs. females), smoking state (overnight abstinent vs. sated), and circulating ovarian hormones (estrogen and progesterone) in women. Glu was measured in the entire brain with special focus on the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), anterior insula, and thalamus, all of which have been implicated in tobacco withdrawal, using an echo-planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI) variant of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Serum ovarian hormones (estrogen and progesterone) were measured for female participants to determine relationships between brain Glu and this hormone. Glu was be measured in smokers after overnight (\~12 h) abstinence and after participants smoked the first cigarette of the day.
Who can participate
Age range18 Years – 45 Years
SexALL
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Inclusion criteria
✓. Self-identified as only male or female
✓. Age 18-45 years (children \<18 years will be excluded due to low prevalence of conventional cigarette smoking; female participants \>45 years of age will be excluded to avoid effects of perimenopause and menopause in women; male participants \>45 years of age will be excluded as well to ensure that male and female groups are matched on age
✓. English fluency demonstrated by verbal skills sufficient to participate in a conversation, including the ability to ask and answer questions at a level that assures adequate understanding of the study (a comprehension quiz will be given)
✓. Right handedness (evaluated using the Edinburgh Inventory)
✓. Generally in good health without cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, or autoimmune diseases, diabetes, or cancer
✓. Must have smoked for ≥1 year
✓. Must endorse inhaling while smoking
✓. Must smoke ≥10 cigarettes per day
Exclusion criteria
What they're measuring
1
Glutamate in the Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex
Timeframe: Measured before and after smoking a cigarette by both groups (men and women). Group means below reflect overall group means averaged across time points as reported from descriptive statistics in the Generalized Linear Mixed Model.
2
Glutamate in the Insula
Timeframe: Measured before and after smoking a cigarette by both groups (men and women). Group means below reflect overall group means averaged across time points as reported from descriptive statistics in the Generalized Linear Mixed Model.
3
Glutamate in Whole Brain (Gray Matter Plus White Matter).
Timeframe: Measured before and after smoking a cigarette by both groups (men and women). Group means below reflect overall group means averaged across time points as reported from descriptive statistics in the Generalized Linear Mixed Model.
4
Serum Estrogen
Timeframe: Sampling performed on same day as MRS (before smoking).